Divination
by Kambalaya
Summary: Adriana Navarro, a patient in Gotham's finest mental institution along with the Joker, is taken on a crazy adventure by working with the Batman using her special mind reading and past-seeing gifts. But things turn when the most unexpected love occurs.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

There were eleven pills in the bottom the cup this time. Yesterday there were only nine, but Adriana had agreed to try a new combination of drugs to help her sleep. She had been doing well lately with mental control and blocking thoughts of the people around her. A massive amount of improvement from the previous year, at least. The only problem was when she tried to sleep. The thoughts from others came flooding into her dreams. Memories from when she was working with the police and drawing confessions from the minds of the guilty and innocent would plague her. She poured all eleven of tablets into her mouth at the same time and swallowed them dry. No one on the staff bothered to check to see if she had swallowed all of her medication, as they did with the other patients.

She made her way over to the table where she had sat down to her unadorned meal. Her fellow patient Belinda, looked at her from across the table.

"You know what they say?", Belinda asked seriously, squinting so that the lines around her eyes became prominent.

"No..,", Adriana replied listlessly. They played this game every morning and Belinda would always repeat words that her psychiatrist had said to her.

"Puedes cerrar los ojos, pero no su mente.", Belinda said smiling. _You can close your eyes, but not your mind. _That threw Adriana off guard. She didnt want to have a panic attack. Not this morning, please not this morning! In her slight panic she felt the thoughts of her own doctor, Doctor Duprie, intrude her mind. He was standing near a younger nurse and speaking to her about a patient. She could hear that something big was happening, but no, she would block it out as she had been practicing for 14 months. Even though she could block what he was thinking she could feel the emotion of his excitement nearly break through her skin. Was it good or bad excitement? _No, block it!_ Well it wouldn't hurt to just at least know a little about what was going on. She could feel something buzz growing from the nurses for the past month but she ignored it and focused on how well she would sleep tonight with all of the medicine in her blood…

The information poured in beyond her will. She still maintained some control, she thought brilliantly to herself. _A criminal._ They were letting in a criminal. They had been approved because they were the best institution in the state. Ok, that's enough information for now. But why would everyone be so wound up? They had plenty of criminals. Even Belinda was a criminal. Ok, a name wouldn't hurt. Just find the name in someone's mind. She gazed at Aimee, an older nurse...No name? A criminal with no name? How was that possible? Or maybe she was getting better at blocking thoughts and going to be free from this nightmare at last. Maybe it was the medication combination. She must let Duprie know that it was finally working! This was the right combination of drugs. She was excited and sure of it. She pushed away her tray of untouched food and walked over to Duprie once she saw that the nurse had turned away.

"Hi!", she said, smiling up at him.

"Well, hello sweetheart. I see you're in a...good mood today?", he asked somewhat startled. She hadn't smiled in months.

"Yes! I think the new medications you've recommended are working!" she said, though not completely sure herself. She'd only taken them 5 minutes ago. But what the hell, maybe she could convince herself to make them work somehow. A placebo effect would be better than nothing.

"Oh, do you want to speak about this in my office?", he asked, feeling content. But he couldn't speak with her in front of anyone. She wasn't like the other patients. She actually _knew _things that she shouldn't. It was insane and he barely believed it himself until she was able to see through his eyes, into his past, and could tell him his adoptive mother's name, how she looked, smelled, sounded and even walked. The woman had died nearly 9 years ago.

"Of course!", she said still smiling.

They made their way into the elevator and down several hallways into his office. She was the only one in this asylum who wasn't a doctor or nurse that was allowed alone with the doctors or nurses in this way. She immediately took a seat in front of his desk and didn't wait for him to close the door or sit before she began spilling.

"Well, this morning I tried to read Aimee's thoughts and I couldn't! It was amazing!", she said immediately. Actually she felt like she was lying to both Duprie and herself. She clearly could sense _'no name_' in Aimee's mind.

"What were you trying to find out? I though we were working on not letting anything exterior into your mind at all?" he said, somewhat shaken.

"I know but, I just thought...well everyone seemed like they were so wound up about something and I only found out that there was another criminal coming. But I couldn't find his or her name in anyone's mind!" Another lie, she'd only tried with Aimee. Maybe she should just try it with Duprie just to convince herself. As soon as she thought of it, she penetrated his mind. _'No name'_. He didn't say anything. "What's going on?" she demanded.

"We are allowing another criminal. He doesn't have a name." he said looking anywhere but her eyes. Icy blue eyes like the sky on a clear winter day.

"Sure...", she sighed. "This is making me feel worse. You should have just told me the truth.. That he has a name. Then I'd at least know my drugs are working." He was shuffling through papers.

"You just took them within the hour, we don't know yet." he replied professionally.

"Right.", she rolled her eyes. "So you were telling the truth? A person without a name? That doesn't even make sense." she said, wishing she could force her meds to work immediately.

He tossed her a newspaper. She looked at the face. A man covered in paint. He nearly looked like a circus clown. Dark paint around his eyes. Red smeared across his lips. Deep scars in his cheeks. She felt a touch of pain looking at the scars, but she was well equipped after months of practice to not look into scars and find out where they came from.

"What the hell is that?", she asked, pointing to the man on the front page. He knew she wasn't allowing herself to read anything. She could frequently see into a writer's lies.

"Our new patient. He doesn't have a name on record. No fingerprints recorded either," he sighed, disappointed that she let down her guard and now he had to explain this to her. He knew in the back of his mind that the police would want to use her to find out information about this man. Now he had to lie to them and tell them that she made progress and was no longer seeing things the way she used too. Drugs were working great.

His silence was too much. She peeled away his thoughts, no longer caring about her progress.

"No fucking way. You're lying to them and I'm going along with it.", she said in a louder voice than was 'appropriate'. They had to use 'indoor voices' like children. She wouldn't be sucked into another job with the police that would knock her ten steps back after she could barely make one progressive step forward.

"Shhhh.." he said, reminding her or the rule on noise. "Of course I'll lie, but the police will want you to..at least consider it. They would pay you well, you know that. You're doing so well and you've progressed a lot. But honestly, I don't think this clown is worth it though. They'll put him on death row before you can find his mother's maiden name."

"I don't need any more money from them. I have enough to stay in here until I'm eligible for AARP." she said getting out of her chair. She turned and left the room without saying anything more.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

The straitjacket was laughable. Didn't they know he knew his way out of these things? He started at the two cops sitting in front of him holding guns, ready to use. The van came to a slow halt and the door was swung open before it even stopped complete. What a fun game they were playing. Luckily these cops hadn't said any words to him, otherwise he might have to kill them once he was ready to leave this happy house. But a house full of 'crazy' people was a great place to find people to use. The type that were easily manipulated. He could play along with their minds and convince them to do anything. A female guard assisted him with stepping from the large metal box of a van. One of the cops shook hands with who he assumed would be playing his doctor. Duprie, was on his name badge. He ignored the words they exchanged and instead started at the great building he was being led to. This place was a mansion wrapped in prison walls.

"He'll have to clean the paint from his face," he heard the idiot Duprie say to one of the cops. They were walking through the yard area and now through long corridors. He didn't even get to see any of the crazies! Well maybe they were still asleep; it was 5 in the morning after all.

"He refuses to speak with anyone here if he has to remove it," the cop replied.

"Fine," Duprie said, sounding annoyed.

They led him to a room with a cold looking bed and padded walls. Padded walls! The front wall was glass and completely transparent. No privacy. There would be guards out there 24/7, just staring at him. _Won't matter_, he proposed to himself.

"This is where you'll be staying." Duprie explained in a tone that the Joker knew well. The sound of a learned man, full of underestimation. "There will be guards outside watching you round the clock."

_Too bad I pay them more than you do, _he though. The doctor explained a few more things to him and allowed security personnel to remove his straitjacket. He almost asked for it to be put back on. It was much more interesting than the bright blue cotton shirt and pants that was the uniform for the patients. He pretended to be attentive until they left then lay on the thin bed and decided this would be a good time for sleep. He would need his energy.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Part 1:

"So how do you think this new combination is working for you?" Duprie asked Adriana, though he was distracted with musings of his other patient.

"Fine. I slept. I had horrible dreams but I slept at last.", she said.

"Oh, thats good to hear." he said, only half listening.

"He's here isn't he." She didnt even need to read his thoughts to know.

"Im sorry, Adriana. I've been thinking of how to approach him. First consultation is in an hour." he said looking blankly at the wall behind her. He shouldnt be speaking to a patient about another patient but she was different. She could find out anyway.

"Oh, you've delt with worse." she said nicely. "Have the cops asked about me yet?"

"You know it. I lied but I don't think Ricard believed me. He looked ready to strap wires on me and give me a lie detector test." he replied, laughing. He shouldn't have mentioned Ricard. Adriana and Ricard were and item before she admitted herself here. She just rolled her eyes. Duprie looked at the clock again and adjusted his glasses on his nose.

"I'll leave you to contemplate your approach." she said sweetly and got up to leave.

"Thanks, sorry I had to shorten your checkup." he said. He was such an honest and vulnerable man when he wasn't playing doctor. She liked that about him.

"It's okay." she left briskly.

He was a great doctor, he told himself, and could handle anything.

Part 2:

"Ask her again!", Ricard shouted to Dr. Duprie.

"She's ill you know that. Its very selfish of you to keep asking.", Duprie replied. Ricard was getting angrier by the second.

"Tell her we'll pay whatever she wants! He needs to be exposed, we need to fix him and find out more. Can you imagine how much more money this place would make once you're able to cure him?" Ricard was getting louder. "Bring her here I can convince her myself."

"I'm her doctor and I tell you she's not well. She can't sleep! You'll be harming her." Duprie defended.

"So what's been going on here for the past year? She can't be any worse than she was when she first came here and she was an asset to us even then." Ricard reasoned, unwilling to back down. Duprie finally nodded to Aimee who was standing in the doorway. Adriana would have to deny whatever offers he made in person.

About 10 minutes later Aimee returned with Adriana who she had to lie to to get to come with her. Duprie could see that in Adriana's exasperated attitude when she walked through the door. She hated when they lied to her. They had only begun to do it recently when they realized she was avoiding their thoughts.

"Adriana, I can see this place has been treating you well!", Ricard exclaimed, happy to see she was still as beautiful as always. Beautiful enough to be a model, but wasting her time behind the bars of an asylum when she should be out in the world on his arm again. Her icy eyes didn't change.

"No." she said plainly before turning to leave.

"Two hundred thousand!", he shouted after her.

"What..?" she asked, turning around slowly.

"Two hundred thousand dollars is what we'll pay you." he replied with his hands out as if he wanted to take her hands into his.

"Well in that case..." she started.

He looked at her with his eyebrows raised expectantly, a small smile beginning to form on his lips.

"NO." she spoke harder. And with that she was out the door and practically jogging back to the recreation room, should he chose to follow her.

"Hell!" Ricard shouted, enraged even more when he saw the told-you-so smirk on Duprie's face. "She's the only reason we decided to bring him to this god forsaken- what am I supposed to tell the Comissioner?"

"Tell him our new patient arrived safe and sound." Duprie replied leaving the room.

That evening Adriana decided to go for a walk around the back garden. She had to get out of that building to clear her mind of the selfish prick who would ask her to help him again after all she had been through with the previous cases..building and building in her memory and never leaving, always finding their way back into her dreams. Winter was nearing an end and all of the vegetation in the garden was icy and dead, but somehow it was comforting there. She curled up onto one of the wooden benches, pulling her boots under her long coat and began to cry. The tears were frigid in her eyes but she didn't care. She began to sob uncontrollably, yearning for sleep and yearning for someone to care about her and not always try to use her. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand in a long swipe bringing the moisture into her hair which felt tangled around her fingers. In her foggy view she saw a bird sitting on a tree in the distance, moving into flight. So carefree. Her eyes followed it past the building, but in an instant her eyes stopped, and she saw him peering through his barred window on the 4th floor, about 10 yards away. His dark painted eyes looked at her curiously. He was standing with his arms crossed at his chest and his head tilted to one side. She sat up instantly, feeling vulnerable with him standing that way while she lay down crying. Then she saw his focus shift to something behind her. She turned and noticed Ricard crossing the garden's entry, smiling at her. She rolled her eyes and shook her head, then quickly glanced back at the window. He was gone.

"Its a little brisk out here, isn't it?" Ricard said sweetly.

"Please go away." Adriana said looking at him.

"Are you crying?" he seemed genuinely concerned.

"I was," she said emotionlessly.

"Why?" he said, knowing the answer.

"Because you don't care about me and you never did," she replied.

"I do care about you. I just need your help right now." he spoke, taking her face into her hands, looking down at her full lips. Touching his lightly and briefly against hers, before moving them to her forehead. She wanted to believe him, but he was only thinking of himself. "I can see you're suffering. You look exhausted...you're skin and bones" which he didn't mind honestly.

She thought back to seeing the man in the window. He look pretty bad. Well actually, he looked horrible..like a horrible clown from a nightmare. Maybe she could handle it. Maybe he was just vengeful and angry and spiteful and just plain crazy. She could handle all of that. Maybe he'd sliced up his own face because of his madness. Maybe he was just a typical madman, she thought hopefully. But if he'd been tortured...

"I dont know if I can do it, Stacey," she said. He hated being called by his first name.

He blinked at her dissappointedly and stood up.

"That's fine.", he said tensely before walking quickly out of the garden.

For some reason, she felt abandoned. He was a terrible, uncaring man. While consumed in thought, her eyes wandered back to the window. He was watching her again. Even if she decided to play a doctor or cop to interrogate him and read his past and his present thoughts, he would know something was going on. She was wearing a patients' clothes, and though she was unsure if he saw Ricard kiss her, he knew they had been talking and that she had been crying before. She wasn't curious at all about what had happened to this new patient, why he had committed whatever crimes he did, or what he was planning to do, so she had no inclination to see into who he was. It was as simple as that. She got up an walked slowly out of the garden, vision beginning to blur again with tears. Later she was able to cry herself into a nap, unprepared for the dreams that would find her.

Part 3:

"Wake up, Adriana." A nurse named Samuel called "It's time for dinner." He was surprised she was sleeping and not screaming as she usually did. But her muscles were tense. She was curled in fetal position with her shoulders raised up to her ears, with a palm protectively on each side of her face. She sat up quickly.

"Is Duprie still here?" she asked, sleepily.

"I think he's on his way out." Samuel replied. She hopped from the bed and was in the stairwell running up to his office.

"I need to be discharged." she said breathlessly as she opened his door. Dr. Durpie was in his coat, clearly on his way out of the door.

"What? But you've made so much progress..Maybe in a few months you'll be ready for-"

"NOW, please!" she said, ignoring him.

"I can't force you to stay since you're self admitted but-" he stopped. The look she gave him cut deep. "What's wrong?" he asked. "What happened?"

"I want to go back to Chicago..Do what I used to you know? Work with the police. It wont be so bad since Ricard's transferred here, I can take the cases that I want and-"

"What? I though you said you never wanted to work for the police again!" he exclaimed nearly laughing. "Now you're optimistic?"

"Who's Mr. J?" she asked, noticing it written on some of the papers he was sliding into his briefcase.

"Thats what my new patient asked to be called." he sighed.

"More like, Mister H." she said under her breath.

"It was that terrible?" he asked her cautiously about whatever visions of his past that she had seen. "That you want to leave? You don't want to at least tell the police now that you know?"

"It won't do anything to help them. He intends to break out of here so they won't need my information anyway." she said sullenly.

"He can't break out, he's guarded at all hours," he said.

She smirked and let out half of a laugh. Should she tell him that his patient already had broken out? That he'd rummaged through his office to see that notes he had taken of him so that he could read them and laugh? That the guards let him free almost every night, content with the hundreds of thousands of dollars he put into their pockets?

"I feel like I've cracked Dr. Duprie. I can't take this anymore. If I dont go back to working with the police I'll move to an island with no other people around..no one but me and my own thoughts, my own past. You know what, I think I'll go down to the pool before I leave." she said rising from her seat.

"It's late," he said, not adressing her stranded-on-an-island idea.

"Yes, but I need a good swim. Maybe it'll wear me out and I'll be able to sleep here until tomorrow so this place can earn a few more dollars from me." she laughed.

He shook his head as she turned to leave. She seemed in a good enough mood, and whatever she had dreamed had probably just temporarily disturbed her. She asked to be discharged dozens of times before, yet she still stayed.

She walked down the halls feeling slightly guilty for not telling Duprie about the guards. But what good would it do? Everyone was on the side of 'Mr. J', except for the doctors and nurses who were oblivious. She didn't want to hear another though or see a single childhood memory from anyone, she could be alone and have some peace at the pool after dinner.

Part 4:

Steak and onions, delicious and unexpected. The food in this place wasn't half bad, considering they forced him to shower twice a day with soap that smelled like Ajax and brush his teeth with toothpaste that felt like Comet powder, which might have been due to the fact that his teeth were fragile and in bad shape because he never brushed them. But the food was suprisingly good since he was expecting spit on stale rye. It was the first time they let him eat in the cafeteria. He had 2 guards on both sides of him as he sat at his isolated table. Actually, his table wasn't isolated, however the other patients had chosen to congregate and crowd at 3 tables farthest from him. There were 7 tables empty in between them. He though he was seeing things when he saw a bald hunched over man find there was not even an inch of room of benches at the 3 crowded tables, then proceed to squeeze onto the lap of a plump woman with thinning hair. She didn't seem to notice, she was staring so hard at him, her face twisted in disguist. He hadn't killed anyone is this happy house yet but he had no problem starting with her, he though to himself, spooning potatoes and gravy into his mouth.

A few moments later he saw the cop's girlfriend walk in, at least thats the only thing she could be to him that would make sense. Maybe she was his sister? Nah, no resemblance. She was his girlfriend or wife. He wondered whose lap she'd squeeze herself on to as she went to get her tray of food, barely noticing him or staring like everyone else was. After getting food, he watched her look at the cramped tables and roll her eyes to herself. She walked casually across the room and sat at the edge of the table exactly in the middle of the room. The startes quickly migrated from him to her, since no one had even noticed her come in since they were all to busy staring at him. She began to carelessy eat and put earphones into her ears. She didn't look his way at all as she quickly ate only about half of the food on her tray before leaving.

She was somewhat gaunt but beautiful. Her hair was straight but had a wildness to it, a dark dirty blonde color. Her eyes were large, blue and somewhat tired and sad, as if she had seen more that her fair share of anguish. Her full lips and the exotic bone structure in her face made ethnicity a mystery. She looked like a child of maybe 16 or 17, but her file, if he could remember correctly said that she was 31. She didn't fit in here, she seemed sane compared to the others. She also looked at least half-normal. Not half normal in that she didn't look like an ogre or meth addict along with everyone else, but half-normal in that but she would have no problem fitting in with society. She would actually stand out in a good way. Everyone else actually looked crazy, including himself. Before he could put the last forkfull of steak into his mouth a Doctor Agnes instructed his guards to take him back to his cell. He noticed the crowded tables disperse and even out across the room as they led him out.

Part 5:

The pool was vacant and dark. The water was lukewarm and calming. Adriana floated on her back and watched the stars through the glass ceiling. They were a mystery to her, unlike everything else, and she found peace in that. The moon wasn't visible but its glow was clear behind the only clouds in the sky. She felt open and free looking up at vastness of it. Her beach island would be like this every night. Open and clean and free of darkness, death or evil. She though about Ricard. He was such an affectionate man, though uncaring. She thought she loved him. No, she was sure that she loved him, she told herself. Maybe if he came along to her island he would have no need to ask her for help with criminals. He would be completely focused on her and would protect her and take care of her, like he did in the beginning.

Then she though of Doctor Duprie. He was an amazing book-learned doctor, a caring and honest person, but naive in some ways. Would he ever be able to completely cure her of her ailment (which her mother used to consider a 'gift')? The moon was clear now that the clouds have to move from view. They air looked so cool, crisp, and empty. She wished she could float in it, instead of the warm water. She imagined floating in the waters surrounding her imaginary island. No one around. A complete vacuuum. It was thrilling to imagine and it truly felt real. She imagined the flicker of a fire on the island that burned near her tent to keep her warm when she decided to leave the water. There was no place else she needed to go, this place was her heaven. But imagine if a ship were to go by in the distance with a lone sailor. Would his thoughts and life disrupt her peace? She felt him going by, determined to maintain her bliss and block him at the same time. It was suprisingly easy. She coated her mind in apathy, not caring about anything at all, and it was blissfull. His ship was coming closer but she just closed her eyes and enjoyed the warm waves between her fingers. He couldn't see her after all, she was floating in the night waters, and he was still far away. She could ignore him and he could unknowingly ignore her.

He was getting to close to her island though, maybe he was in danger and glad to find land? No he seems calm, she nearly kicked herself for feeling into his emotions. He sees my fire on the island, she groaned to herself in her mind. Annoyed she slowly opened her eyes to see just how far this inconvenience of a boat was. Star after star came into view, the dark waves around her body. She turned left facing away from her island to look for the ship but she saw land. Hard, sharp,concrete land and a standing looking at her.

Reality rushed in. She wasn't floating off of her island, she was still in asylum in a dark pool, alone with apparently Gotham's greatest criminal.

He could kill her,she decided. The depression from returning to reality was so great that in this moment she didn't really care. It was dark in the pool room. She could have easily not have seen him, if it wasn't for his bright white painted face and the red smeared across his lips and cheeks into a sickening smile. _Go on sailor, _she thought, _do what you need here and keep on going. Maybe my blissful island is in death._ But he didn't move. He stood rocking on his feet looking curiously at her.

She was getting impatient and rolled over lazily and swam to the pool's ladder which was less than a yard from where he stood.:

He watched her grip the ladder and pull herself from the pool. She really was crazy, he thought. Perhaps the most normal looking people are the craziest of us all. He looked as she climbed the ladder as though she didn't see him there. She was slightly gaunt, in her upper body. Her clavicles glistened in the moon's glow and her ribcage was slightly noticible throught the black athletic looking one-piece. Her legs and, when they emerged from the water, looked surprisingly strong compared to the rest of her. She turned away from him and grabbed her towel from a bench and quickly covered her lower half.

He had left his cell tonight to kill. Perhaps she should be his victim. Killing beautiful women was easy for him. All he had to do was go enough to touch them or breathe on them, and they would cringe in stupid fear, which annoyed and enraged him enough to kill them without a second thought. She was walking away quickly to leave when he walked even quicker over to her to grab her left arm. She spun around to him slower than he would have liked. She seemed more irritated by his light grip than afraid,so he tightened it as she spun. One facing him she began to pull her arm away but suddenly diverted her gaze downward and cringed and looked afraid at last. She begun quick gasps and began to pull from him more forcefully. He was irritated enough now, so he slid his free hand down to reach for the knife tucked in his pocket.

He withdrew the blade happily and looked back up at her. But she was looking down around his feet.

"Oh noo!" she breathed, no louder than a whisper. "Get-"

Then he saw it, a fat shiny cockroach the length of his thumb. He still gripped her arm as she moved over to his side.

"Ew! Kill it, kill-", she yelled louder.

"What?" he said. His voice was deep, and something it it soothed her for the instant he said his one word.

"Kill!" she yelled, as the roach moved over to her. Finally she let out an ear piercing scream higher than any whistle or police siren he'd ever heard. It moved near her foot and he released his grip on her she hopped up on the bench holding her towel. It seemed hilarious that this morbidly obese roach chased her. It made it its way over to the leg of the bench. "Aaaaahhhhhhh" she whined and it slowly went up the leg of the bench. He witheld a laugh. He felt her arm on his shoulder as she looked for somewhere to place it while she flailed. "No, No No..!" she continued. He released his laughter.

At last the roach reached the top of the bench and she unthinkingly lept off onto his back, which surprised him to say the least. He stumbled to his right and was surprised when he stumbled over sending her splashing back into the lukewarm pool.

When she surfaced which took only a few seconds, he was gone. 3 guards were rushing through the doors frantically.

"We heard screams!" The first man in called. "Are you alright?" he asked yanking her from the pool with one arm. He looked around the room...looking for the Joker. She didn't have to read his mind to know. All of the guards knew that he roamed the halls at night. But would they feel any guilt or have any explanation if he killed someone?

"I'm fine." she choked. They looked into the pool and saw her towel sinking to the bottom. "There was a roach." she indicated the spot where it was on the bench but saw that it had been reduced to a puddle of pus.

"So you screamed, then killed it, then jumped into the pool?" A tall Scandinavian looking guard questioned.

"Or killed it, then screamed, then jumped in the pool?" the first guard asked, sounding like he was holding in a laugh. A laugh of relief that a death didn't need to be on their concience, at least not tonight.

"Whatever." she said, pushing past them.

"Wait, we'll walk you back to your cell Miss Navarro." the Scandinavian said smiling.

Times like this she wished that the guards knew exactly why she was in this institution. They wouldn't allow a madman to roam the halls and be paid by him if they had an inkling that someone who would be endagered by this knew about it. When she arrived back to her room she was happy that she was leaving this place tomorrow.

Part 6:

Breakfast appeared to be the same situation as dinner last night. 3 cramped tables full of staring eyes. The only difference was that 'Mr. J' appeared to be eating with one hand and drawing in a sketchbook with the other. She took a tray of waffles and walked over.

"Thanks for taking care of that vermin last night." she spoked. He looked up quickly, clearly too absorbed in his art to even notice that she had walked over. The two guards behind him looked at each other quickly wondering what was going on. "Mind if I sit?"

The joker made a chewing motion with his mouth, looked her up and down, amused. They went back to drawing.

"I'll take that as a 'yes' ", Adriana said, sitting her tray down in front of him then sitting on the bench.

"You're welcome." He replied.

"For the roach?" she asked, beginning to eat.

"For your life." he said drwaing swirls of smoke around burning city buildings.

She couldn't resist. She had to see what he was thinking or remembering. _A knife. _She hadn't even seen him pull out the knife, she was so afraid of the fat waterbug. _Irritation. _He was irritated when she started pulling away from him, and somehow reasoned this as the motive to kill her. He wanted to cut her throat and watch her bleed out in the pool waters._ Disgust. _He thought she was disgusted with him and his painted face and scars in the dark room.

"I was disgusted with the _roach._" she said, before thinking.

He looked up from his drawing. _Me and the roach. Thats why you screamed like an idiot. I can't wait to kill her._ She sighed, annoyed.

"I know, I was there." he said, swirling smoke again. The guards were practically leaning over his shoulder listening to their conversation. Adriana looked around the room. Everyone was staring! The doctors looked afraid for her, as though he could jump up and kill her with his pencil. She looked back at him.

"I wouldn't mind, you know." she said, giving the guards a piercing look that made them lean away from their voices.

"Mind what?" he asked. _Confused. _His thoughts were so brief. He didn't think deeply into anything, at least not yet.

She swiped her index finger slowly against the front of her neck, then made a silly motion onto the table indicating a fall, then tipped over his cup of water, which didn't make a mess since it was nearly empty. _Nothing._ His mind was blank with confusion, as he waited for her to explain. Surely she couldn't know he wanted to slit her throat. She picked up her tray and left his table.

Adriana was on her way to Duprie's office to say goobye, at least for now.

"Good morning, Dr.-" she paused as she noticed Officer Ricard and Commissioner Gordon in his office, sitting and sipping coffee.

"Ahh, just who we wanted to see." the Commissioner turned to her. Duprie looked at her apologetically.

"Im leaving this morning, so sorry I dont have any time for shenanigans, but I'll catch you all later, Just wanted to say goodbye to my doctor." she said in one breath.

"Oh no, no shenanigans intened, m'lady," Gordon spoke passing her an envelope.

"What's this?" she asked, opening it. They didn't respond as she pulled out a check. $2.4 Million.

"Who's money is this?" she asked immediately, noticing the check was from the police account. The police force and taxpayers were far to cheap to offer this much.

"Someone who's interested in working with you." the Commissioner replied.

"I've worked with everyone, they never make offers like this," she said softly.

"Not everyone," he reminded her. "You refused working with several people, on the bigger cases in particular."

"So who?", she asked feeling vulnerable. "This must be insanely dangerous."

"Not really. He can protect you," the Commissioner said standing up. "So are you accepting?"

"No. Im just shocked. Tell him no, whoever he is." she handed the check and envelope back to him.

"He was prepared for that," he said, pulling another envelope from his pocket. She smiled and shook her head opening it. The smile faded from her face as she looked at the amount.

"$10 Million..." she couldn't tell if she was asking or just reading aloud.

"Yes," the Commissioner said eagerly.

"Unbeatable," Ricard spoke for the first time. He sat like he was watching a movie.

"Who?", she asked, looking at Ricard, afraid to look into their minds and see for herself. "Is this something illegal? Someone in the mob? This is too much-", she said, indicating the check. Ricard and Gordon looked at each other. Duprie seemed to shocked to do more than stare.

"Would you give us a moment, Doctor?" Gordon said to Duprie, who quickly left the room. They couldnt even tell her Doctor who it was? But he knew everything!

"Who, tell me now!" she nearly shouted as soon as the door was closed.

"See for yourself," Ricard said, standing and taking her hands. And then she saw vivid in his mind. Strong and powerful. Brave and fearless. _The Batman._

"Why.." she asked, sinking into the Commissioner's abandoned seat.

"You know he has been wanting to work with you. I told you a year ago." Ricard said gently.

"He doesn't need me." she said, looking up at him.

"He does now," he replied, kneeling in front of her. She wanted him to take her into his arms. "That man is out of control. I know you don't watch the news but Gotham is getting worse and worse."

"What exactly does he want?" she asked, thinking of the check in her hand that the sweat from her palm was probably blurring.

"Well," Ricard said, looking up at Gordon "We don't know exactly. He wants to meet with you."

"And you two are coming with me, right?" she asked.

"He prefers if you went alone," Gordon said, making it sound casual and easy.

"Fine." she said. It was confirmation that slipped out before she could think it through. Gordon and Ricard were smiling, and so was she inside. The Joker wanted to kill her, after all. She wanted to kill herself. Gordan and Ricard didn't seem to care about her or her psychological state. Nothing else mattered.

"Here," Gordon fumbled in his pocket for another envelope. He handed it to her.

"Another check?" she asked, in disbelief.

"No, it's where he want to meet you. You aren't to tell anyone, not even us, where or when that is," he expalined.

_The roof of Gotham Hospital. 12am, tonight. _It was typed on thick paper. The roof of a hospital? How the hell was she going to get on the roof? I guess that's what the millions of dollars were for her to figure out.

She nodded to Gordon and Ricard and slipped the paper back into the envelope._ What am I getting myself into?_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Why did it seem that it was either dark or the sun was setting in Gotham city? The skyscrapers were daggers into the reddish-orange cloud filled sky.

"You must be excited," Ricard turned to speak to Adriana as he drove slowly through the cramped rush hour streets.

"About what?", Adriana looked at him, blocking a bold ray of sunlight by pulling down her sun visor.

"The opportunity of a LIFETIME!", he nearly shouted, wanting to shake some life and enthusiasm into her. His over-hyped thoughts of the possibilities awaiting her forced their way into her mind.

"Please..Stacey I'm tired," she replied leaning her head against the window.

"Tired from what?", he replied harshly "Did you work a until 4am last night? Get 3 hours of sleep?". He was clearly talking about the things that he should be complaining about being tired from. She said nothing.

"Hey...I'm sorry. I know it's been tough but...things are looking up now. You're a fucking millionare!" he turned to her.

"I'm not. We haven't been to the bank yet and we'll be lucky if it takes a month to clear the check," she said matter-of-factly.

"The glass is always half empty with you isn't it?", he smiled. "But it's okay, I know just what you need," he said while casually making a left turn and placing a hand on her thigh. "Are these the jeans you picked out on your birthday?"

"Yeah, why?", she said, looking down at his hand. His hands were delicate and almost feminine with smooth, soft skin. It was one of the few features he possed that she hated.

"They're really loose," he said, pinching and lifting the fabric then wiggling it quickly left and right.

"Stop that!", she sang, playfully slapping his hand away. He made another turn into her driveway, laughing as he pulled in.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you stuffed," he whispered, sending them both into a round of laughter. Times like this Adriana really loved him. He always knew how to make her happy, even if only for a few moments. Why did he have to be so harsh sometimes? It didn't matter to her now since her laughter made her realize he was right and she was starving.

"Hey! Wake up!", Ricard shouted. "Stop screaming or your neighbors will call the cops!"

Adriana woke shaking from yet another terrible nightmare. She was sleeping hard enough that her screams didn't wake her.

"I'm sorry," she said shakily and embarassed.

"Are you okay?", he sounded genuinely caring. He had forgotten how bad these things could get with her sometimes.

"Yeah, I'm okay. What time is it?", she placed her hand on her forehead and looked around for her alarm clock.

"11:54. You slept a long time, I didn't want to disturb you but then you started-," he began explaining.

"Shit, I'm late," she said moving from the bed, further frustrated by having to fully redress.

"Late for what?" he shouted and she ran to the bathroom and turned on the shower. "I'm heading out now," he said walking into the bathroom, opening the shower curtain and giving her a kiss. "What are you late for?" he repeated.

"In your own words 'The opportunity of a LIFETIME'," she said mockingly and laughing.

"Shit, woman, you should have told me I wouldn't have left you knocked out like that," he said, sounding annoyingly cocky, which was softened by more laughter

Adriana sped walked through the cool night streets of Gotham. The buses weren't running and Ricard couldnt drive her since he wasn't supposed to know where she was going. Times like this she wished she had gotten a driver's licence. She peeked at her cell phone almost afraid to see how late she was.

"Ughhh," she sighed, seeing '12:37' bright on the screen. Why was she doing this? Why was she here practically running through the night streets of a dangerous city infested with muggers? Risking her life in these streets for something she didn't even want to do?

Finally she saw she was only 4 blocks from the hospital, but felt herself in someone's mind. This was the only thing protecting her tonight. She could see and feel if someone had bad intentions. But these were pleasant. She paused and looked around and noticed a woman in a fancy rowhouse waving her over. The woman held out one arm palm up and traced circles in her palm with the other hand. It was then Adriana noticed she wanted to read her palm, though her shop looked closed.

_Why not? _Adriana thought to herself. The Batman, if he had been waiting, had probably left by now assuming she'd changed her mind, which she was almost sure she had. Adriana skipped across the empty dark street, slowing as she neared the house. The woman's thoughts were peaceful, fluid, open, pleasant and uncommon. Maybe she might be legit?

"Come here my child!", the woman smiled. It was too late for anyone to be this awake, Adriana though to herself. Her accent was thick and she smelled heavily of incense. "You're a special one my deah!" she bellowed, pulling Adriana in by her arm.

"Sit!" the woman commanded, "Ten dollars!". Adriana passed her a crumpled $20 bill, but the woman didn't give her change. She eagerly pulled out Adriana's hands and ran her fingers over them, closing her eyes. She looked to be about 30 and was very curvy. She had one long, messy braid in her hair and wore a long black simple dress but acessorized heavily with thick beaded jewelry. A frown line formed in her forehead.

"One moment, lady!" she said, quickly rising and running up a flight of stairs Adriana didn't even see until she began to go up them. She retuned several minutes later with an irritated looking older woman who was much thinner.

"Look mama!" the younger woman pointed to Adriana. The older woman rolled her eyes and sat down yanking out Adriana's hands, then nearly in the same instant forcing them away and looking at her surprised.

"You gifted, child?", the woman spoke quickly in a raspy voice.

"What?", Adriana responded.

"No time for games girl! Its 1 in the morning, you gifted?" she woman spat.

"Yes," Adriana spoke, hating her answer. She almost said, 'No I'm cursed' but the woman didn't seem to want to hear anymore fluff. The older women waited impatiently her thoughts fluid as well, nearly unreadable as they flowed into each other magically.

"Well, its not a gift actually but I see and hear what people are thinking-" Adriana started.

"What people?" the thin woman asked harshly.

"Umm, everyone..but you two, it's hard, you're really-" Adriana started again.

"Go on," the woman didn't care to hear something she already knew.

"Okay, well I can hear the thoughts but also see people's pasts-"

"While they think?", the younger woman finally spoke.

"Yes...it's like a mix...while they think. The past mixes in and forms their thoughts," she replied, realized she had never analyzed any of this before, certainly not out loud with strangers. "When I'm awake thats how it is. When I sleep it's terrible. I only see bad things, from people near me when I sleep. When I'm awake I can really only see into people when I'm very close or making eye contact. When I'm sleeping, I think I sometimes pick up horror from people miles away..." she stopped realized the women stared at her silent. "And that's it." she concluded. They still didn't speak. What else did they want to know?

"Well..I just released myself an institution earlier today, I was there a little over a year. I gained a lot of control over this curse." she forced herself to continue.

"In the asylum, girl? That's worse than prison, why be surrounded closely by those-" she younger woman began.

"It was a smaller one outside of the city, it wasn't too bad," Adriana explained. "Can you read my palms so I can go?" The older woman took her hands slower this time.

"It's very vague, lady." she started. "You too strong now. You blocking us?"

"I always do that. It's what I practiced all year-"

"Well stop it now," the woman instructed, and Adriana obeyed. The thoughts moved in slowly but luckily they were only the smooth thoughts of the two women near her.

"Ahhhh..," the woman sounded pleased finally. "You are under terrible stress girl. But it will be ending soon. It will be only temprary though. You fail to see your opportunity, child. You will take another path."

Adriana looked confused, it sounded like gibberish.

"You will fall in love," Adriana perked up and the words.

"I'm already in love." Adriana whispered quietly.

"You are not. Not yet. You will know when it comes to you. There is a man now, but he does not care for you."

"He does, he just-" Adriana began to defend.

"Shushh child! He does not care for you! This is another man. Powerful man. He will care for you. Things will change tomorrow though."

Adriana couldn't speak. She felt happy to hear her stress would be gone but who would she love?

"How is my stress going to be taken away?" she asked the woman who had let go of her sweaty palms.

"We will remove your gift," the older woman started. Adriana gasped. This was too good to be true.

"How? When?" she pleaded.

"Now, but I need to read your hands again tomorrow. The destiny may change after this" the woman got up and rummaged through a drawer behind her. "Drink this one drop."

Adriana started at the tiny dark bottle afraid. Maybe they would drug her and rob her. This was Gotham City and anything was possible. But why not take a risk? She snatched the bottle and downed the whole thing.

"ONE DROP GIRL! I SAY ONE DROP!" the womans voice rang then faded. Everything when black.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

"Wake up girl! Do you hear me!" a voice shouted sounding both loud and clear far away.

"She's dead, mama." Another voice sounded close to her ear but barely audible.

"No she's breathing and she's a fool." The first voice became clearer.

"Am I dead?" Adriana coughed. She sat up slowly and even slower still fell back down. Everything was quiet. No thoughts, only loud and clear voices. Clearly this must be death.

"No, girl! But you scared us halfway there!" a voice rang, and an arm forced her down. "Don't move yet."

"I was asleep?" Adriana asked, her head clearing.

"Yes." the older woman kneeling beside her said carefully. "We removed your gift, child. I think we did."

"I can't feel your smooth thoughts like before, its so quiet here!" Adriana nearly shouted with joy. She felt more hungover than she had ever been in her life, but happier than ever before.

"You alright, child?" the younger woman asked.

"I'm not a child," Adriana respoded.

"You are girl, you act like one," the young woman replied. "You about 19 years old, adult, but you don't listen."

"I'm 31," Adriana replied, feeling dizzy. "What time is it?"

"Nearly three in the morning, you should go now, but I want to see if your future is changed. You paid $20." the younger woman said.

"Fine, go on," the older one said, knowing her daughter was eager to see. Adriana could barely sit as she lifted her hands.

"It's bad..." she began almost immediately "And good...and wrong...and right". She was worse than her mother! Adriana moved her hands over to the woman's mother, who had taken a seat next to her on the floor.

"Yes I see.." she started slowly. "You will love as I said before, a very true love and the only one you will ever know. You will be very surpised, I see it stronger now. You don't expect to love him and I cannot stress that enough, girl. You will never know why you love this man because there is no sense to it. You're stress will return and you will consider taking two lives, one of them your own, but in the end will love and care for both. You will be taken care of. You will be set free. I cannot see past then."

"I'm going to commit suicide? Why?", Adriana panicked.

"No, child, someone will stop you. You will want to because this man...You will realize you must leave him. You will consider killing. And that will give you guilt," she explained.

"Killing who? The man I'll love?" Adriana questioned.

"No..someone else. Another male. He is vauge," the woman frowned her face as if she strained to see.

"But why? Why do I want to kill him?" Adriana demanded. She didn't even know who she was asking about.

"Girl...there is no reason to kill him. That is why you will feel guilt. You will let him live and you will be happy you did. For your ultimate happiness my child, you must leave now. Someone is waiting for you, you must hurry."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The women hurried her out of the door and Adriana nearly fell going down the porch steps. She felt ubelievably drugged.

"Go now, It feels urgent, girl," the older woman spoke, quietly.

Adriana didn't reply, she just began walking. She began to stagger after the first block then tunred to look behind her to see that the women were gone. A police car passed by quickly and Adriana tried her best to look sober, failing miserably, but luckily the cop didn't notice her. The lights of Gotham hospital became closer and brighter too slowly. It would be light outside before she could get there, slumping and staggering like she was. But she moved on finally entering through the maternity ward. She wondered how on earth she would be allowed to go up onto the roof. Finally she decided to ask a hurried looking nurse who told her exactly how to get up to the roof but went away muttering something about not being 'a fucking tour guide'. Adriana tried her best to remember the complicated directions while going through the halls. Finally she found what she hoped were the right stairs to the roof, nearly bursting into laughter at the number of times she fell and had to pull herself up by the railing. At last, she was on the roof and the cool air gave her some composure. Then she saw him: The Batman.

He was walking towards her and for some reason she wanted to cover her face. She felt like a drunk person showing up nearly 4 hours late for a job interview. Would he be mad? Fire her before she was hired? She wanted to laugh away the nervousness as he approached.

"I apologize for being late, glad you came back," he said in a artificially deep, raspy voice, heavily disguised, then reaching out apparently to shake her hand.

"I'm late," she said, confused. "You're late too?"

"Yes," he said shaking her hand firmly. He was fully concealed in armor. The only parts of him visible were his chin, and sharp masculine lips.

"Well...why?", she asked, even though she didn't want to explain why she herself was late. But he was the Batman, he was held at a hire standard. She casually moved her hand to her spinning head.

"There was an incident," he replied, unsure of how to deliver the information.

"Oh, yeah thats okay, for real, you're busy-"

"Are you intoxicated?", he asked, the husk in his voice lightening.

"No," Adriana said quickly, feeling like she was lying. She was very toxic. "I'm okay, just tired."

"Ms. Navarro, that's fine I just need you to be competent." he said seriously.

"It's wearing off, I'm competent I swear," she nearly convinced herself too.

"The incident I was referring to happened in Gotham Treatment Center," he said.

"What happened?", Adriana assumed the Joker had finally excaped. It was heavily on his mind while he was there but he wanted to stay a while to have fun with the minds of the people there. However, they kept him isolated and none of the other patients were around him. He wasn't even seeing much of his doctor.

"He's excaped," the Batman began. "It hasn't been released to the news yet. 2 were killed, 4 are missing."

"Who?" Adriana asked, afraid to find out.

"3 nurses and 1 patient are missing. 1 patient and a doctor are dead," the Batman explained.

"Is Doctor Duprie okay?", Adriana voiced, the only person there she really cared about.

"He's fine," the Batman said cautiously. Adrianna nodded, relieved, then reached into her pocket and removed her check.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, handing it over to him. He waited for her to explain.

"Well..." she began, not knowing how to explain, then finally telling him the whole story of the psychic women and the voodoo or psychic magic or whatever it was removal of her "gift". He was silent.

"That's quite a story," he said. She had a feeling he thought she was lying and making excuses.

"I'm serious, thats why I'm so fucked up right now," she swore. She saw what she though was a smile begin to form in his sharp lips but it vanished before she could tell. "So, I'm useless to you now. I'm sorry to be such a dissapointment."

"Did you learn anything about him while you were in the institution?", he asked, now serious.

"Well..yeah. How he thinks...his scars..his name...", maybe she'd said too much. She did not want to to tell the story.

"Well then, you are of use to me," he replied, handing the check back to her.

"I dont want to," she added, passing it back.

"Why not?" he asked, holding on to the check.

"I dont want to tell you what happened to him. It's useless," she said looking away over Gotham, noticing police cars in the distance.

"Then I trust your judgement," he handed the check back.

"Why are you so desperate?", she forced it back, then regretting the words as soon as they came out. His lips, which were the only way she could notice any change in expression from him, stayed the same. They remained silent for an awkward moment.

"He killed someone close to me," he said, in an emotionless, hard tone that made her feel guilty.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"So you don't know who I am?", he replied, changing the subject.

"No," she responded. He was quiet. She decided to try anyway but felt and saw nothing from him. She strained harder and squeezed her eyes shut until she saw spots. He must have thought she was crazy. She squeezed them harder and saw something almost to vauge to read.

"Wayne Enterprises?" she said aloud, feeling like a fool for spewing vauge nonsense.

"Amazing..." the Batman gasped, the husky veil over his voice nearly gone.

"Why?", Adriana asked, feeling embarassed, and feeling dizzier from straining to see.

"You're useful to me," he said, for no reason at all roughing up his voice again. He handed the check back to her. "I'll be in contact."


	7. Chapter 7

Adriana barely remembered walking home last night as the sun shone through her bedroom window. Someone was knocking on her door. She got up, feeling sloppy for still having on the same clothes from last night and opened it not caring to look to see who was knocking.

"So how was it?", Ricard barged in with take out.

"What time is it?", Adriana asked immediately.

"Uhh," he looked at his watch "Half past four, so tell me what happened! Well, I know you can't tell me much, you know, but what happened? What's it like working for the Batman?"

"I slept eleven hours! Thats amazing!" Adriana exclaimed "I dont even remember dreaming about anything!"

"Nice, so give me details, whatever you're allowed to share," he said dismissively while getting plates and utensils for his food. "Did you see the news? Bastard's loose again."

"No, he told me last night," Adriana replied.

"So you actually went!" he sounded proud.

"Well yea, I was like 3 hours late but so was he." Adriana said, wondering if she should tell him the reason why.

"You were supposed to be there around 9?" he asked, beginning to eat.

"No, midnight."

"So you got there at three? What happened?" his pride in her melting.

"I went to a psychic. I guess she gave me and exorcism so now I cant hear thoughts anymore"

"Did you tell him?" Ricard panicked.

"Yes, I dont want to go into detail. I'm still working for him though".

"Doing what? Washing his vehicle in a bikini? Thats all you're good for now if this psychic nonsense is true."

"I don't want to go into detail," Adriana repeated dismissively while rummaging through his bags of food. There were no details, she thought to herself.

"We're going to a party," Ricard said, as though it were the most boring thing in the world.

"Whose party?" Adriana asked, unnappealed by his stromboli.

"It's a costume party. Deputy Mayor's," Ricard said between bites.

"Why? It ain't Halloween yet," Adriana asked while pouting some cereal. "Thanks for re-stocking my kitchen."

"No problem. I dunno. I guess he wants to lighten the mood or ease the tension in this city. It'll be mostly law enforcement, some upper class. They may cancel since the Joker's on the loose. No one's seen him yet. Otherwise they'll have to hire some security from outside of the city since no one can be trusted here. It's tomorrow night, Im going as Alex Trebek."

"Talk about short notice. And Alex Trebek, you're the laziest person ever. I'll go as a news reporter." Adriana replied laughing.

"This has been planned for months, I wasn't expecting you back. You should go as angel, you have those wings I got you that you never wore," he said, looking her up and down.

Why not? She hadn't had any fun or made herself up for as long as she could remember.

"Sure, I'll be Alex Trebek's angel," she said exploding in laughter.


	8. Chapter 8

Chpater 8

"Did you call Harri?", Ricard asked Adriana, taking his dirty dishes to the sink.

"No, haven't had time," Adriana said, trying to make herself took too busy eating cereal.

"Well, you have time now," he tossed her the home phone. Adriana rolled her eyes and dialed the number from memory.

"Adri!", Harri answered before the phone could complete one ring. "I haven't heard from you in forever! My goodness, this is you right?", she must have paused to check the caller ID.

"Yea, its me sis, and I'm alright, going to a costume party tomorrow night and everything," Adriana threw out her soggy cereal, seeing Ricard wink at her.

"A costume party in an asylum? That sounds like a Haloween attraction," Harri laughed.

"I'm calling from home, not my cell. I discharged yesterday," Adriana replied.

"Really! I can see you then! I'm coming over to fix you up for this party of yours, what's your costume?" Harry sounded excited. "Can I come too?"

"Can Harri come?", Adriana asked Ricard.

"It's invite only and I can only take one guest," Ricard answered pouring and icy glass of tea.

"Wanna go in my place?" Adriana asked jokingly.

"No, I party all the time. I'm coming to fix you up, so whats your costume?", Harri asked.

"I'm going as an angel. I have wings and white dress somewhere," Adriana took Ricard's tea and began sipping. He rolled his eyes and poured another glass for himself.

"What color are your wings?" Harri sounded like she'd started filing her nails.

"Umm..clear, black and gold glitter, if I remember right," Adriana responded, chewing up an ice cube.

"If all that time in the asylum really helped you and you're okay with partying now..I think I may have something else for you to wear. You'll go in there looking like a nun if I don't help you," Harry laughed.

"Come on, I dont wanna look like a prostitute, it's not that kind of party. The Deputy Mayor is going to be there, the Mayor as well," Adriana said. Harry was silent.

"You never watch the news I forgot that. The Mayor is dead," Harri said cautiously then quickly changed the subject. "You will look great I swear, you won't look like a prostitue okay I promise just let me come over. When is the party?"

"Tomorrow night," Adriana said, downing the rest of her tea then tapping the side of the glass hoping Ricard would pour her more. He did.

"See you in the morning," Harri sounded like she was smiling.

"See you then. I love you, Harri," Adriana said, taking her full glass happily.

"I love you, and I freaking miss you. See you tommorow, love," Harri said hanging up the phone.

"I assume you haven't gone to the bank yet?" Ricard asked Adriana, as she hung up the phone.

"No, I almost forgot," Adriana replied to him.

"Only you. Only you could forget a check for that amount," Ricard laughed in a way that made her feel ashamed.

"Look, I'm in the first few hours of the best time of my life! I can't hear thoughts anymore. I'm more free than I've ever been and you don't even care."

"I do care," Ricard sat down his empty glass. "I gotta go to work. Remember our account's checks expire in 90 days, so don't go trying to deposit it in August."

"Ha. Ha," Adriana went to kiss him before he left. "I'll deposit it today."

"Better hurry, bank closes at 6:30."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Adriana power-walked through the streets, forgetting once or twice which direction the bank was. The brisk February air chilled her cheeks and ears. It felt so strange, walking through these Gotham streets, and even stranger still, walking in silence. No thoughts or worries intruded her from anyone else. She had no thoughts but her own. She felt like screaming in joy at the top of her lungs, so fascinated with her new freedom that she nearly walked past the small branch bank.

She walked in and quickly filled out a deposit slip, realizing that she had forgotten her account number. She tried her best guess from memory and walked over to the teller who was looking bored with no clients.

"Hi, I want to make a deposit," Adriana asked, trying to put the check and deposit slip under the glass. It seemed like the glass had gotten thicker and the slot for the checks or slips had gotten even smaller than the last time she was here. The woman sighed still sounding bored but immediately perked up after looking at the check.

"I can't complete this here. Sign your name on the clipboard over there and take a seat, someone will see you shortly," the woman said nicely.

Adriana went over and put her name on the clipboard, not remembering today's date. She copied the date from the names above: February 14. Was it Valentine's Day?

"Mrs. Navarro?" a woman called Adriana's name before she could take a seat.

"Miss. That's me," Adriana walked over to the woman who led her back into her open office.

"What can I help you with today, Miss Navarro?" the woman asked her, flipping her silky dark hair over her shoulder. Adriana wondered how her own hair looked. She passed the woman the check and the deposit slip.

"You have to take this to the downtown branch," the woman passed the check back.

"Oh, then I have to go tomorrow. I don't drive," Adriana replied putting the check in her purse.

"Don, you still going to Central tonight?" the woman called over her shoulder to no one visible.

"Yea, heading out now," Don sounded tired. "Why?"

"She needs to deposit a check, over our branch's limit. He could take you if you want," the woman, who's name tag read 'Alba'.

"That would be great," Adriana replied, looking at the clock noticing it was 6:25.

"They'll take you," Alba assured her.

"Thank you so much!" Adriana said getting up to leave, feeling lucky.

The bank was closed when they arrived, but they were allowed in. They both had to be checked with a metal detector and searched before entering.

"Sheesh," Adriana sighed, as Don led her to the back offices.

"Yea, they've gotten really tight here," Don responded. "Hey Paul, gotta last minute costomer here for you." Don said as they walked into an office.

"Come on Don, I gotta wife to go home to," Paul joked and invited Adriana to sit.

"So do I," Don called "But I'm in no hurry. Gotta meet with Stanley tonight. Good night Paul and.."

"Adriana," she spoke, enjoying only hearing them speak.

"Good night to you too Adriana," Don said before turning to leave.

"Well, what brings you in tonight?" Paul asked, folding his hands.

"Deposit," Adriana said passing the check to him. She would be happy to get rid of the ragged slip of paper that had been passed around so much.

"Wow," Paul said, raising his eyebrows. "Wish I were you right now," he joked beginning to laugh.

He turned to his computer and began moving his mouse and typing. He stopped abruptly.

"Something wrong?", Adriana asked him.

"Yeah," he peered over her shoulder through his all glass windows into the main area of the bank. "Someone just hit one of the emergency alarms." His phone vibrated loudly in his pocket. "We're being robbed. Again." he sounded furious. Adriana turned to see various masked men making their way through the bank.

"Get down," Paul whispered to her, wishing Ron had closed the door when he left. Paul got down behind his desk. Adriana wanted to go over with him since she was right in front of the door. She slid down in front of her chair and felt Paul pulling on her arm to get her under the desk with him. He pulled her under almost effortlessly. They waited for what felt like hours, but probably were only a few seconds. They heard shuffling feet outside of the door and deep, rough voices.

"Safe's open?" one voice asked.

"Yeah, its done." another responded. A gunshot sounded causing Adriana to jump and gasp. Paul gripped her tight to him and placed a firm hand over her mouth. Someone was entering his office. They squeezed tighter together to hide completely under the desk. A man walked around it, and Paul worried if he would hear his pounding heartbeat. The man stood in front of Paul's chair and made sounds with the papers on his desk. He walked around to where Adriana had been sitting. Paul pulled them both away from his feet. Adriana decided to focus. She squeezed her eyes tight, which forced the tears that had been beginning to gather in them down onto Paul's hand which was still tight over her mouth. _Money. _That was on his mind. _Check._ He'd looked at her check. For the first time, Adriana wanted her curse back. She focused harder trying to block Paul's thoughts of panicked fear._ Empty? _He was wondering why the office was empty but the computer was on and a purse sat on one of the chairs. A $10 Million check was on the desk as well as a deposit slip. She focused so hard she thought she would black out. His intention to look under the desk was clear. When she opened her eyes, she could see a comical masked face looking under the desk at them.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The face paused for a second, and then the man let out the first breath of a laugh.

"Well isn't this my lucky day!" his voice rang as he gripped Adriana's arm and pulled her from Paul. "You come out too!", he commanded, pulling out a gun. Adriana panicked. The man pointed the gun at Paul.

"How about this, Princess," the man said, slowly lowering the gun. "That check yours?"

Adriana nodded.

"Well it's mine now," he snatched it and tucked the check into his pocket. 'You're gonna cash it in a few days when this bank is back in order. The money is mine. Until then, you're staying with me, understand?"

Adriana looked at Paul, who had his arms up palm forward. He didn't know what to say. Adriana nodded. The man laughed.

"Get back under the desk," the man commanded to Paul, who went slowly. "Hurry up or I'll shoot her now!". Paul was under the desk.

The man pulled Adriana by her arm back to the main area of the bank where two more masked men were tossing bags of money into a black van. He began to help them and instructed her to do the same. The other two men ignored his both her and his command. She went to get the bag sitting farthest from the van. It was heavy. She struggled to lift it, then settled for dragging it. Her hair fell forward from her hair clip and covered her face, blocking most of her vision. She finally made it closer to the van where the other two men were hauling in bags. The man on the left side of the van seemed irritated with her and snatched the bag with one arm, lifted it, and tossed it into the van. But then he froze, paused, and turned to look at her with his masked face.

"Let's go!", the man on the right side said, turning to get into the van.

"She's coming, too," her captor said, tucking his gun away.

"Why?" the man on the right asked. "No way, man, we don't have time for this. We gotta get out of here," the man said, turning again to get into the van. Her captor wanted the money from that check.

"Look!", he pulled out the check, showing it to him. The man on the left was silent. "And it's hers!" Adriana backed over to the left wanting to run.

"What is it?" the masked man on the left finally spoke. His voice resonated, strong and familiar. It was the Joker. Adriana wanted to scream.

"Big money. Way more than we have in the van," the man who had been standing on the right, finally convinced said.

"A check for $10 Million," the other man said, feeling proud to have found it. "We'll take her, when this bank is back in order we can split the money, easy."

"Man, sounds like plan! Besides, I wouldn't mind some fun with her," the first man said, looking her up and down.

"Yea we could-" the other man started but Adriana cut their voices out. She squeezed her eyes shut. Their thoughts rang in loud and clear: Neither of them had any intention of splitting the money. They wanted to kill each other and have it for themselves as soon as it was cashed. Cautiously she shifted her focus to the Joker, and now beginning to feel exhausted from straining for their thoughts. He didn't want the money. Their plan was stupid and not thrilling at all in his mind. He was very curious about why she was getting a check for $10 Million. Adriana tried to find more in his mind but her focus was broken by the sound of 4 gunshots. She opened her eyes quickly. The two men were dead.

She was shocked. And not even shocked that he had killed them. She was shocked that he didn't even think of it before he did it...He just did it. It reminded her of the discomfort of seeing into the thoughts of wild animals at the zoo or very small children. He turned to look at her. He then walked over to the bodies that were now covering the floor in blood, and picked up the check. $10 Million issued by a police department that could never afford it.

"You know..." he started. "This check might bounce." He was wondering who's money it was. His masked face turned to her for explanation.

Suddenly, the sound of police sirens rang in the distance, nearing quickly. The Joker casually tossed the check into the puddle of blood he was standing near, before dissapearing into the back of the van. It drove off through the crashed glass as soon as he closed the door.

"Adriana we haven't seen you in forever!" a woman in the police station said as Adriana sat waiting. She couldn't remember the woman's name.

"Ms. Navarro are you alright?" the Comissioner entered the waiting room.

"I'm perfectly fine," Adriana replied.

"Come with me." the Comissioner said, leading her into one of the questioning rooms. "Don't worry you're not being interrogated. Your boss requested that you were asked nothing, not even by me."

Her boss? The Batman, she remembered. In a way, it was considerate. Adriana was shaken and didn't want to answer any questions at all. The Batman entered the questioning room. He and the Comissioner nodded to each other, then the Comissioner left.

"I'm fine," Adriana said, before he could ask. He nodded.

"The surveillance doesn't show the identification of any of the robbers. We're looking for the two that excaped. One that was driving the van and the other we saw that excaped in the back of the van," he said in his raspy, thick Batman was then silent. He looked at her, waiting for confirmation. She nodded very slowly, meaning that it was him. It was the Joker.

"We thought otherwise," the Batman continued. "He hasn't robbed banks after they were closed."

"It was him," Adriana responded. "He saw the check."

"We have that recorded. It will be replaced," the Batman said. "There will be police outside of your residence and following you until he is detained."

"Yay," Adrianna said, sarcastically.

"We're not sure yet if he intends to go after you. He must be curious by now, and with him that's enough reson for us to have you protected around the clock." the Batman explained. "I knew you would be of use," the Batman continued, a small smile on his sharp lips.

"Yea but only because I recognized his voice," Adriana began to explain.

"Either way," the Batman spoke "You're needed."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Part 1:

"I'm okay, Dr. Duprie. Sorry I haven't called you, things have been hectic to say the least," Adriana spoke to a frantic Dr. Duprie, who had heard about her being in a bank that was robbed from Ricard. "No, they havent told me anything about the missing patients." After calming Duprie and hanging up the phone, Adriana repeated the process with her sister who called seconds later. Later that evening when she was finished eating, for the first time, she wished she owned a television. The boredom was nealry overwhelming so Adriana stepped out into the night streets for a walk, and for some reason she wanted to visit her two new psychic friends.

They were both sitting on the porch when she arrived. It was dark and cold outside but they seemed to be enjoying each other's conversation.

"My, my, my, back again girl? You're too much trouble!", the younger woman laughed.

"What are your names?", Adriana asked, stepping onto the porch and sitting with them on a long swinging bench chair.

"I'm Aymara," the younger woman said.

"You can call me Sidi," the older woman added.

"I'm Adriana," Adriana said as the younger woman moved part of the blanket that covered their legs over to cover hers.

"What brings you back?" Sidi asked, sipping something hot and steaming from a large mug.

"I dunno, I was bored," Adriana said, beginning to smile.

"Now that your mind is clear," Sidi laughed. "Did you find your new love, you lucky girl?"

"Not yet," Adriana replied, pulling the blanket up to her chest.

"You sure?" Sidi asked. "Ahh, I believe you have you just don't know that it's him yet. You have a big responsibility, my child."

"I do?" Adriana said, turning to face her.

"Yes. I felt it. He is your responsibility," Sidi said, closing her eyes.

"The man I'll love," Adriana added, sleepily.

"Mhhmmm.." Sidi sighed. "But you must first accept him, accept the responsibility. It will be hard, but you will know. It will feel right."

Part 2:

"Where are you?" Harri exclaimed, after hugging Adriana. She held out Adriana's arms and looked up and down at her body. "I brought you a cake, you're eating the whole thing."

"I love you!" Adriana laughed.

"So you're alright now?" Harri asked. Adriana nodded. "Well let's get this show on the road. You're gonna be a knockout!"

Adriana helped Harri carry in several bags, removing the cake from one of them.

"Your hair is a disaster. I don't understand why, you got dad's pin straight hair, all you need is a comb!" Harri said, running her fingers through Adriana's hair. Their father was from northern Spain. He had sleek straight hair, and icy blue eyes like Adriana's. Their mother was Ethiopian, with caramel skin and silky curls. Harri looked just like her. The only feature Adriana got from her mother was full lips.

"Im gonna dye it to match the costume," Harri said, rummaging through bags.

"Noo...I like it this color." Adriana added, between forkfulls of cake.

"It's a rinse, you can wash it out tomorrow. Shampoo your hair eight times," Harri instructed.

"Fine, what color?" Adriana asked her.

"Blue-black. Looks jet black, but shines blue. The wings are awesome, they'll match," Harri touched the large angel wings that were sitting on the kitchen table. "You should get a hotel room for you and Ricard, for after the party, wink, wink."

"Nah," Adriana added, working on her second piece of cake.

"Why not? Surprise him!" Harri was looking through the phone book.

"Fine," Adriana replied, picking up the phone and making a reservation at the closest hotel to the party venue. "We might get too twizzled to drive back."

"Okay, makeover time," Harri began mixing the dye. Half an hour later Adriana's her was jet black. The blue added a nearly gothic look.

"Now the outfit," Harri rummaged through more bags. Out of one emerged what looked like a hige piece of latex. She tossed it to Adriana. "Wear these underneath", Harri passed stringy underwear.

"What kind of bra?" Adriana asked. "Is this the costume? What the hell is it?"

"A catsuit. I hope it won't be too big. Oh and a mask!" Harri pulled out an elaborate black and gold mask that would cover nearly her entire face.

"Am I going to be the angel of death?" Adriana asked, picking up the stunning mask.

"Just put the stuff on!" Harri said, hurring Adriana into the bathroom.

Adriana put the underwear on, then struggled into the tight catsuit. It wasn't loose at all, in fact, it fit perfectly. She emerged from the bathroom.

"Wow, well aren't you fit!" Harri exclaimed. "Makeup time!"

Harri spent nearly 2 hours putting on Adriana's makeup.

"Enough cake! I need to do your lipstick! This stuff is awesome, it would last through a tsunami," Harri indicated the lipstick.

"I wanna see how it looks," Adriana felt nervous and hoped she wouldn't look like a drag queen.

"No, put on these boots," Harri pulled out a pair of shiny platform heeled boots. "They'll be easy for you to walk in. And I have to paint your nails."

Harry spent another hour buffing Adriana's hands then painting the nails what appeared to be blue-blck nail polish. They looked black but shone deep blue.

"Now, your hair," Harri started.

"I thought you were done!" Adriana said. Harri shook her head, then explained, she'd only dyed it, it wasn't styled. She had to wait for it to air dry since she was wrong in assuming Adriana owned a hair dryer.

Harri was surprisinly quick with Adriana's hair, making it sleek with a flat iron. She seemed proud when she was done. She helped Adriana put on the large but lightweight wings.

"I should be a professional," she said, looking at the final product.

"Yeah, Ricard is going to be here any minute, you cut it kinda close," Adriana started saying.

"We have to surprise him, he's never going to believe this is you!" Harri looked so happy.

"Well let me check myself out first," Adriana went to her full length bedroom mirror.

The look was dramatic to say the least. Adriana barely recognized herself. Her hair was sleek enough so that the blue in her hair shone even in the dim light. She admitted, even to herself, her body looked amazing in the catsuit. The most shocking part was the makeup. Even though it took so long, it was no where neat a drag look. It was dark but subtle. All of the black and blue-black gave her a dark and mysterious appearance. Her pale blue eyes shone out of all the darkness, making them almost frighteningly beautiful.

With the mask on no one would recognize her at all. Hell, they probably wouldn't without it. But then Adriana felt something in the pit of her stomach. Responsibility. She finally knew what it was, but deep down hoped she was wrong. He'll give me a great gift. Adriana shivered. She said it would feel right when it happened.

Adriana heard Ricard's knock at the door.

"Stay in there I wanna surprise him!" Harri yelled.

"Okay," Adriana asked, pulling on the heeled boots.

"May I present to you, the woman of your darkest dreams!" Harri said, loudly.

Adriana walked somewhat nervously from her bedroom, brilliantly black and gold, dramatic wings framing her body. Ricard was looking bored, still looking at Harri making her over-hyped announcement. He turned to Adriana and realized it wasn't over-hyped at all. In fact. He stood speechless.

"Are we in a dream?" he asked, seriously. He seriously though he was in a dream and began shaking his head and rubbing his eyes.

"No, this is real," Harri pushed Ricard over to Adriana.

"Damn...", Ricard began, looking serious. "Fuck the party."

"No, we're going, this is for the party. I didn't go through 10 hours of hair and makeup to stay home!" Adriana told him, laughing.

"All you need is a whip. Then you'll be the dominatrix of my dreams," Ricard laughed kneeling in front of Adriana, wrapping his arms around her hips and looking up at her.

"We're gonna be late," she leaned down and kissed him. Harri was right about the lipstick, it didn't rub off at all. "Lemme find my purse."

"No!" Harri was rummaging through yet another bag. She pulled out a black leather hip pouch, which was surprisingly stylish. She fastened it around Adriana's hips, with the pouch sitting on the left side of her hip. "Put your stuff in there."

"Can I keep it?" Adriana asked, admiring the stylish pouch.

"No, now put your keys, credit card, or whatever in there and get out of here."

Adriana obeyed. Harri passed her the mask before she headed out of the door.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12:

The party was packed. Well, packed according to upper class party standards. It was harder to gain entrance through security than to get on direct flight from the Middle East to New York City. But it was worth it, the party was spectacular.

"Ricard! Great to see you showed up," the Comissioner walked over to Adriana and Ricard. "And who's your friend?"

"That's Adriana," Ricard said, beginning to laugh.

"You're serious?" the Comissioner said, almost beginning to laugh himself.

"Yeah," Adrianna lifted her mask to show him quickly, then put it back on.

"Wow, I thought you were playing tricks on me," the Comissioner said, finally laughing. "Well enjoy the festivities!"

"Who all is here?" Ricard asked.

"Everyone, myself, the Deputy Mayor, Loren King the CEO of our town's lovely bank, Bruce Wayne owner of Wayne Enterprises.." the Comissioner was telling Ricard who he remembered from memory.

_Wayne Enterprises. _She knew who he was. At least she was almost sure. Did she remember what Bruce Wayne looked like? Barely. She'd seen him on TV a few years ago, if she remembered correctly. The owner of Wayne Enterprises could afford a check like the one the Batman had given her. _Responsibility. _She felt like there was a stone in her stomach. Should she find him? Talk to him? She felt like she was being sneaky and deceitful, knowing who he was, and contemplating what she was about to do. She felt like she had the weight of the world in her shoulders. Why was the fate of Gotham her responsibility? She felt sick. Would Bruce, if he was the Batman, understand?

Adriana and Ricard walked around together, talking to many people. Adriana left her mask on for most of it. Many of them assumed Ricard had taken another woman to the party. In the midst, Adriana and Ricard ended up separate as she wandered to look at everyone's costumes and he chatted. She wound up at the bar and ordered a Long Island iced tea, then another. The music blared and people began to dance. Adriana noticed Ricard whispering to an unmasked woman she'd never seen before. He wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her onto the dance floor. The woman whispered in his ear, then touched his bottom lip with her index finger. He smiled.

_This should bother me, _Adriana thought. But it didn't. She was actually happy he was distracted. _But maybe I'm wrong, maybe he's not the right one, he might not even be here. What am I supposed to do? It makes no sense._ But Sidi said that it wouldn't. She looked around at the costumed people. Her attention stopped at a man dressed in a Vendetta costume. He stood up against a wall with his arms behind he back. He looked bored, but attentive. He had on the elaborate mask and a cape. Even had two swords attatched to his hip, which she was pretty sure security should have taken away. She finished her last sips of her drink, trying to avoid wetting the feathers above her mouth. After standing up, she realized she probably should have just had one tea. She walked over to him, crossing through the dance floor slowly. He wasn't looking her way. He almost appeared to be waiting for something.

She finally reached the wall he was leaning against. He was facing away from her. She approached slowly then stood next to him. She was glad she had the drinks. She would need them. She relaxed herself as she stood next to him. _Please, God, let this feel right, _she prayed to herself in her mind, hoping this was the wrong man. He let out an impatient moan, barely audible but nearly a growl. She trembled. Was he waiting for someone? She began to feel more toxic, luckily.

"You look bored," she said to him, attempting to disguise her voice. She made it unnaturally high and sweet.

He turned quickly to her, his bright white mask staring. He didn't respond. She wished she had her gift again.

"I said, you look bored," she repeated, her voice singing. _Please say something, so I'll know I'm talking to the right person. _He looked her up and down and she suddenly felt naked with the catsuit clinging to every inch of her. He nodded. He was bored. _SAY SOMETHING!_

"So, where's your date?", she asked. He had to respond to a question, she thought, hoping he wouldn't shrug his shoulders.

"I came with a few friends," he spoke, facing her, not moving. His voice resonated through her. It was clear and confident. She wanted to talk to him. It felt...natural. It felt right. She'd found him so easily in this sea of masked men.

"Why didn't you bring your girlfriend?" she asked, feeling too happy from the tea. He looked at her. She couldnt see his eye color. She imagined he was smiling under his mask.

"Where's your boyfriend?" he responded.

"I came with some friends," Adriana said smiling under her mask, still masking her voice. He made a sound that assured her that he was smiling. He began looking around the room again.

"Looking for someone?" she inquired. He turned to face her again. Why did this feel so natural? Standing this close? Why did it feel wrong to be tricking him of all people? She had to.

"Are you?" he responded, looking her up and down again. She was being a flirt. She had to.

"Do you want to dance?", she asked him.

"I don't dance," he replied seriously. "Why are you giving me the eye?"

His clear voice was undeniable.

"You look interesting," she said.

"Oh, really."

"Yes. We can dance if you want to."

"I don't dance," he repeated, looking around again. She reached over and touched his arm. He turned to face her. She had his attention.

"I just wanted to ask you," Adriana started. "If at all possible..", she moved closer to him. The music got louder. "We could dance somewhere else."

"If you want," he replied. He was amused, she though to herself. She looked around the magnificent room, noticing a row of mostly empty balconies a story up.

She led him up by his hand. He followed obediently, still watching the room as he went up the stairs. She had no plan and this might not even work. The found an isolated balcony facing the hotel she had rented a room in for that night. Why was it falling into place?

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, facing him, which caught him by surprise.

"I said I wanted to dance," she said, smiling at him, her mask beginning to annoy her.

"I know," he said, his arms hanging down. He looked down at her. She wrapped his arms around her waist below the strap for her wings. She heard him smile. "What else do you want?"

"I want to kiss you," she replied, surprised at how forward she was. He would be even more surprised when she revealed herself.

"You don't know me," he said, still looking at her. She felt comfortable in his arms, which hours earlier would have made her uncomfortable to think about. He barely knew her.

"I know that you're handsome," she replied, lying. She didn't know for sure. He was silent. "So can I kiss you?"

"I'm not your type," he said, the smile clear in his voice. "You're out of my league." She shook her head. She closed her eyes and leaned against him trying to feel what he was thinking without making her muscles too tense. _Just what I though, _she thought after feeling his mind and plan. He was distracted from whatever he was looking for before, because he was just too amused by her spontaneous attention.

"Can I kiss you," she asked again.

"You're drunk," he laughed.

"I'm barely buzzed," she replied, her voice still high. "Pleaseee. On the cheek, if you're too creeped out." She felt him become serious at this new request, preparing himself mentally she assumed. But he wouldn't be prepared enough.

"Go on, then," he sounded tickled and bored at the same time. _On the cheek_. She was actually excited, but fighted feeling the disgust for her trickery. She couldn't deny the warm energy from his body was right. It had her name written all over it, but she never opened herself to feel it before.

Slowly she reached for his mask, that she knew, once she raised enough to see his lips, would cover his eyes. She felt a small comfort in that. She placed her fingers under the chin of the mask, raising it as gently and slowly as possible, gradually exposing his chin, lips, and cheeks. She paused, seeing confirmation that this was him, and feeling even more relaxed than she thought she would have been. It was so right, Sidi had been correct. A small smile began to form on his lips, she waited a second longer, her hands still on his mask which for a moment confused him. He'd expected her to back away, he'd prepared his hands to muffle her scream. He was caught off guard and froze when he felt the warmth of her hand move on his jaw and lips for several long seconds against the scars in his cheek.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13:

She covered his jaw and chin slowly with the mask, willing herself not to run away. His eyes reappeared. They were harsh and serious. She backed away slowly, taking two small steps back.

"Inebriated..", he breathed, thinking out loud and looking away. His voice was mildly frightening. _Who was she?_ Didn't matter. He pulled out what appeared to be a hunting knife. The tip was deadly sharp with elaborate ridges on the upper side. But for some reason, she wasn't afraid. Partially because she knew that she at least had to want to attempt suicide before she died, and she wasn't considering it now. He sat the blade under her chin, the pointed edge nearly touching her voice box, dissapointed in her lack of fear. He gradually moved the blade up her her lips, parting them with the tip. He moved the blade over to the left side of her mouth. He had no hold on her, and she could have easily taken, or attempted to take, a step back. He became furious.

He removed the blade then gripped her arm and pulled her quickly over to the edge of the balcony.

"I could kill you right now," he growled in her ear, holding the blade horizontally at her throat leaning into the small space between her wing and face. She dug into his thoughts which were surprisingly clear. He thought she was too drunk to care about dying. No, she wasn't staggering. Maybe she was just crazy? A crazy person that didn't care about death could be useful, a potential suicide bomber. He wanted to manipulate her mind. "But this is your lucky day. I may have a special job for you." He sounded like he was talking to a crazy person or an impressionable child.

"A special job?", she asked, calmly. She almost sounded crazy to herself.

"Yes. Of course I have to fix your insides first, but it won't hurt much. Then you'll go and help a lot of people," he said, in a tone that made her for the first time that she had approched him tonight, afraid.

"Like a surgery?", she asked, forcing herself to speak calmly to convince him, and also to prevent the blade from going into her throat.

"Yes! But don't worry you'll be okay in the end," he said, sounding pleased.

"When?" she asked, realizing the blade was moving slowly from her throat, but still raised in front of it.

"It can be done tonight, and then tomorrow you can go on a special mission," he said, deep in thought.

"Do I have to go to the hospital?" she asked him.

"No, this can be done anywhere but it is perfectly safe and it will make you happy."

"I'm staying over there," Adriana pointed to her hotel.

"Perfect," he whispered. "I'll give you medicine to make you sleep, you won't feel a thing."

"Will you pay me?", she asked nicely.

"Of course," he responded. "How much money do you want? You can have it before we begin."

Her mind was still wrapped around his thoughts. Of course he would bring money for her to see before he gave her the injection.

"How much can you pay?" she asked, sounding overly persuaded.

"As much as you want, anything you could ever want," he replied, happy. Money and material was no issue. "Just say it, and its yours."

"Okay, but I want it before you give me the medicine. Promise me that," she said, realizing the knife was several inches from her neck.

"Of course," he said. His voice was that of a persuasive and maniplulative madman. Any sane person would have recognized it easily.

"Do you swear, anything I want? I can do the job, and help the people," she said in her high voice.

"I swear," he said, beginning to sound impatient. He concealed it well, but she noticed it loud and clear. "How much do you want?"

"I don't know if you have enough," she said thoughtfully.

"I have more than enough," he said, his impatience becoming more difficult to stifle. "You'll see. Just say how much."

"Okay, meet me over there," she indicated the hotel. "I'll let them know I'm expecting someone." She hoped he remembered her name.

"Sure, how much?" he said with now obvious impatience, dropping his hand that held the knife. She felt like she has lost her mind, but didn't care. Her thoughts rang in suddenly wicked and racy and she felt gone in the brain. She slowly rotated to face him.

"You know, I don't think I want the job," she said in her normal voice, removing the mask and placing her palm flat against the right side of his hip, which took him off guard. She began to walk around him to leave, gliding her hand against him. She then paused when she was at his side with her hand on the bulge in the middle. She felt glad that she didn't have to lie. "But you were right, you have plenty more than enough."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

_What's come over me? What am I thinking?_ Adriana thought to herself as she practically ran, but tried to make it look calm. She was glad she didn't have to see his facial expressions. She nearly tripped going down the stairwell, every now and then looking back up to the balcony, and thankful every single time that she didn't see him. She saw Ricard still enjoying himself when she reached the main floor. She bent down to quickly remove her shoes which were killing her feet. She then saw someone in her peripheral vision when she stood up again. Bruce Wayne.

Part of her wanted to run over to him to tell him the Joker was in the building, but only part. Part of her wanted to tell him that she knew who he was, but only part. All of her wanted to run away from the stifling shame out into the night streets, so she did. She ran barefoot across the street to the hotel looking back at what she was sure was the right balcony, once again glad to see no one.

The clerk at the check in desk raised his eyebrows in surprise at her costume.

"Wow, I suppose you were across the street tonight," he laughed. Adriana responded with a laugh that felt fake. She was envious of this man immediately. He had a normal job, and was carefree and could joke around with no worries. She wanted to be him.

"Yes I was," she laughed, embracing this moment of normality. She gave him her ID and credit card, feeling happy that she was wearing the hip pouch. If had a purse she probably would have run from the party without it.

"I'm uhh...", she started. _Should I? This could all go away if I dont!...Well..he knows now, so maybe not. _"..expecting a guest."

"Of course, what's your guests name?" the man asked nicely.

"Um..I can't remember now, I just have to give him something I asked him to meet me. He'll ask for me by name," Adriana said feeling like she was lying. She felt like she would be happy forever if the Joker forgot her name and couldn't find her, she told herself. _But then again_, she began to think, painfully fighting the though that wanted to push into her mind, that she actually wanted him.

She walked through the elegant hotel to the hall of elevators stepping into one that was open and empty. She pressed the third button then leaned against the wall, happy to be completely alone for a few seconds. The hotel room was beautiful and open, well worth the near four hundred bucks it costed last minute.

She turned off the lights and went into the bathroom. In the mirror, somehow her reflection reminded her of the Joker. What had happened to her? Where was her true self? Where did she go? Her makeup was still perfect but she wanted to scrub it off. She wanted to use an entire bottle of shampoo in her now gothic hair. For some reason, suicide didn't sound so bad. But she didn't feel guilt for wanting to kill, like Sidi said she would, meaning she would have to live even more time.

Adriana nearly jumped from her skin when she heard a knock on the door. She walked quickly to the door and looked through the glass hole to see who it was. She opened to the door to the Joker who was completely costumed as masked. He was accompanied by a steward, who clearly wanted a tip. Adriana pulled a $20 from her pouch and handed it to him. The walked off happily. The Joker stood outside of her door like a statue, the mask now eerie. She let him in. She closed to door, afraid to turn around. She did so as slowly as her body would allow.

They stood in silence for a moment.

"Can I see your face?" the question erupted from her. She felt like she was possessed and someone else was using her body. But she deep down didn't mind, and felt like she was in the opportunity of a lifetime.

She willed herself not to fight her way into his mind. If he was going to kill her, she wanted to be oblivious. He pulled off the mask quickly, exposing his serious and hard face. Something hit and sunk in her. There she was. That's what had happened to her. There was her true self.

He was pallid. The paleness seemed to be from poor health. His body appeared immensely strong, but it was in his sallow face that the melancholy showed. The scars dominated his visage. They jutted out harshly and had healed in such a way that there a few vertical indentations along them. If his front teeth were showing it would give the frightening appearance of the overly wide and permanent smile of a skeleton. His eyes were sunken and dark but were the least intimidating part of his face. He pressed his lips together as she stared at him, causing a muscle in his jaw to protrude. She then noticed, while observing him so closely and he stood there doing nothing, that his scars had formed thickly. This prevented him from being able to ever completely close his mouth without some force, which made him habitually lick his lips. For some reason, he was handsome to her. Unique and unlike anyone else she had ever seen.

"Are you here to kill me?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"Naturally, but what are you doing?" he responded with a question, his tone nearing fury.

"I don't know. I've gone mad. But I'm sure you of all people wouldn't mind madness...unpredictability," she replied in nearly a whisper. "But I'm also sure you might be more predictable than you think. Especially if you kill me. So I guess you could, be predictable and kill me. Be unpredictable and leave, or be even more unpredictable and..." her voice trailed off.

He watched in silence as she walked into the bathroom and shut the door. She looked at her reflection, still seeing him in it. She heard the door to her hotel room open, and then shut a few moments later. She shook her head and wanted to cry but stopped when the knob to the bathroom door began to turn slowly. He appeared with an unreadable and undecided expression, knife in his hand. She looked at him with her palms gripping the sides of the sink, her shoulders raised. He closed the door behind him and slowly walked behind her. She stopped watching him. Her gaze drifted back to her own defeated expression. She then looked down into the sink, wishing the could melt away into the drain.

She heard a sharp sound, metal on the tile floor. He had dropped the knife and wasn't bending to pick it up. She looked up again, seeing his reflection over her shoulder. He took an unsure step towards her, and even though he could easily kill her in seconds with his bare hands, he had never felt more vulnerable in his life. His hand reached slowly to her elbow where her arm barely bent as she gripped the sink. Even if he was about to kill her, his touch instantly relaxed her. Her shoulders dropped and she looked at him with pleading eyes. She wasn't pleading for her life.

She slowly turned to face him. When she was his head was down, he was looking at his feet. She placed two fingers under his chin and lifted it. Within the same instant her body seemed to move herself towards his. She kissed him softly. His lips felt idle against hers, he wasn't accustomed to this type of affection. She tried again, feeling the force in him this time. It sent what felt like a warm electric shock through her which moved from her lips, quickly through her spine, lingered in her lower back, shot up and exploded to its disintegration in her scalp.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15:

"You stayed out all night," Harri said proudly, after Adriana had emerged from a long bath, then shower, then another bath. She barely noticed that Harri had put a TV in her living room.

"Yea..", Adriana replied, sitting on the couch next to her sister her head rolling back in exhaustion. Harri turned away from the TVto face her and said nothing. Adriana looked at the smirk in her sister's face.

"What?", Adriana asked, afraid of the answer. Harri nodded, still smiling.

Adriana picked up the closest couch pillow and buried her face in it, only to have Harri snatch it away.

"So did Ricard enjoy the surprise room," Harri laughed. "Looks like you did."

"Wasn't Ricard," Adriana said, wishing she could pull the words back into her mouth before they were out. Adriana looked at Harri whose jaw was dropped but eyes were smiling.

"I'm impressed, I didn't think you had it in you," Harri laughed some more. The was a knock on the door. "I'll get it," Harri added.

It was Ricard with Adriana's mail in his hands.

"Good morning, Adri," he said cautiously, then sat on the loveseat to the right of the couch where Adriana and Harri resumed sitting.

"Hi," she responded, trying to look as busy as possible opening her mail. She opened an envelope from an unfamiliar post office box which contained a new $10 Million check. She tucked it away quickly.

"You dissapeared last night, had me kinda worried," Ricard said, noticing the new TV.

"I didn't want to interrupt your fun," she replied, implying the woman he was dancing with. He ignored the comment and then noticed the way she looked.

"You look different." he said, trying to pin point exactly what the difference was. "Kind of...aglow. Did you sleep well?"

"She didn't sleep all all," Harri cracked in with laughter. Adriana slapped her, which only made her laugh harder.

"Oh," Ricard raised his eyebrows in awkward surprise.

"Oh come on, you two aren't that serious," Harri began to analize. "You look like you got your shit tossed too. Though not as...adequately." This time Adriana began to laugh too, but stopped immediately when she thought what they would think if they only knew.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Part 1:

Harri left that afternoon, leaving Adriana very bored and alone. Ricard wasn't likely to come back over any time soon, which made her happy, but lonely. She decided one again to walk and visit Sidi and Aymara. They were laughing and talking about the president when Adriana came in the door.

"You again!", Aymara said, after stopping a laugh.

"Could you read my palms again?" Adriana asked Sidi.

"Sure, for ten dollars," Sidi added lazily. Adriana passed her a fifty dollar bill, which was all she had.

"Keep the change," Adriana said. Sidi perked up immediately and joined Adriana at the table in the center of the room. She took her hands.

"Please tell me everything you can, Sidi, I don't care how harsh it is," Adriana added as the woman closed her eyes.

"You sure?" Sidi asked. Adriana nodded.

"Well..things have changed since last time," Sidi began. "But the outcome is the same. You are not in love with this new man. You are in love with the idea of this man, and what he could be. But know this: He cannot be changed. You cannot change him."

Adriana nodded again, understanding.

"Someone else will enter your life. Your love for him will be pure and true...but I sense a link between him and this unchangeable man. Now I see..he is the one you will consider killing. He is dependent on you. You will still consider taking your own life. You will be safe and will leave this place for a while. Your freedom is temporary. But this rigid man in your life..a great fury will rise from him. You will steal something from him."

"Is that it?", Adriana asked when she was done.

"Yes," Sidi said, silently.

"Will he kill me?", Adriana asked.

"Girl, what kind of man is this? You are worried about him killing you? I wish I could see more, but you have a strong and controlled mind. Leave this man alone," Sidi said sounding concerned.

"Should I?", Adriana asked her.

"Yes...your destiny is bleak and nearly unpredictable with him in it," Sidi replied. "This is not love. It is only his body that calls you."

Adriana believed her, but when he was in her living room when she came home, she couldn't leave him alone.

Part 2:

"It seems that the city of Gotham has become, if only for the moment, more peaceful," the news reporter's voice resonated through Adriana's kitchen. She was alone again. The reporter discussed a rapid decline in crime and noted historical crime figures for the city.

Weeks passed by and the crime began to rise again gradually, but was no where near its historic worst. Adriana forced herself to take long walks or clean to occupy herself. She decided to pay an avoided visit to Wayne Enterprises. She hadn't spoken to the Batman since after the bank robbery.

"Hi, I'd like to see Mr. Wayne, please," Adriana said nicely to the woman at the entry desk.

"Do you have an appointment?", the woman, whose name tag read 'Leah', asked.

"No," Adriana cursed mentally to herself.

"I'm sorry, you would have to have an appointment," Leah responded. "Mr. Wayne is very busy."

"I just wanted to return something to him," Adriana pulled out the envelope with the check. It didn't have anything associated with Bruce Wayne or Wayne Enterprises on it, she remembered.

"I can have it delivered," Leah offered.

"How can I set up an appointment?" Adriana asked, declining.

"If you have business with Mr. Wayne, you will be contacted," Leah said. "Good afternoon, Mr. Fox."

"Good afternoon, Miss Moore," a tall, slender, older man replied in an amazing authorative voice.

The man she was speaking to approached. Adriana turned to leave, deciding that getting an appointment with Mr. Wayne would be virtually impossible.

"Thanks, anyway," Adriana added while walking away.

"Well," Mr. Fox began to say as he passed Adriana. She looked over to him to make sure he was talking to her. "I presume you're here to see Mr. Wayne."

"Uh...yeah. But I don't have an appointment. How did you know?", she asked him.

"He and I work very closely," he responded, a brilliant smile on his face. "Come with me."

His voice gave her no choice but to follow. She followed him into the largest elevator she'd ever been in, in her entire life. This place was elaborate.

"You know, I didn't believe it. I presumed he'd wasted $10 Million on a hoax, but you're here. He told me he hasn't informed you of his identity. Impressive," the man stated, smiling and looking ahead.

"Who are you?" Adriana asked, instantly curious.

"I'm Mr. Wayne's business manager," he replied. The elevator came to a stop and they exited.

"So...does everyone here know..that he-," Adriana started to add in disbelief.

"No," he replied quickly. "They have no idea. You look a little different from the photo I saw of you."

He led her into Bruce's office where he seemed absorbed in a telephone conversation, but he hung up without saying goodbye to whoever he was speaking to when they entered. He was impossible handsome.

"Ms. Navarro," Bruce began. "Finally figured it out!"

"Well, yes. But I'm here because I wanted to give this to you," she handed him the check.

"You don't want it?", he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Well, I haven't dont much to deserve that," she explained.

"But your work starts now," he said, giving the check back. "It took you a little longer than I thought it would, I admit."

She suddenly felt sick and guilty. It hadn't taken her long to figure out who he was, but her time was absorbed for weeks with trying to avoid him.

"I can't help you though," she said, sitting. Mr. Fox had left the room, quietly.

"You know why he's the way he is," Bruce said.

"I know what's happened to him, but I don't know why he's the way he is," Adriana explained. He wouldn't understand. "He can't be changed," Adriana repeated Sidi's words. She slid the check to him across the large desk. He leaned back in his chair and looked at her stand up.

"Why don't you tell me what's happened to him, and I'll decide for myself. I trust your judgement, but I'd like to hear," Bruce explained. He was honest. His office was empty. "No one can hear you now but me."

She spent the next hour telling him everything she knew about his past and scars. He watched her pour out this story for the first time in awe. When she was done, she wanted to tell him about her recent encounters with him but couldn't. That was something no one would ever accept or understand.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17:

Part 1:

Adriana left Wayne Enterprises feeling free. Happy to know that she wasn't the only person who knew the Joker's true story. Bruce seemed like a smart man but she felt he was getting his hopes up. The information was useless as far as she was concerned. Bruce didn't tell her what he planned to do with the information that she had provided for him, but insisted she deposit the check he had given to her. She spent nearly and hour in the bank, happy to see Paul again and happy to have something to do.

Part 2:

"Today was quite productive," the Joker said when he entered Adriana's kitchen through the back door, letting the warm early May winds blow in.

"I need to talk to you," she said, stopping him. He began to look annoyed.

"Ahh, I will let you talk. But first," he pulled a file from his coat and tossed it on the kitchen table.

"It's important," she responded. He grew a bit more irritated. She didn't have to read his thoughts to know that he assumed she wanted to shut him up.

"Well, there's two things I want to tell you," she continued, unsure how to word things. He was unpredictable and she'd done her best to keep things light with him but couldn't continue like this.

"You can read minds," he cut her off, opening the file. It was her file from Duprie's office.

"Why do you have that?" she asked him.

"I was curious and you didn't dissapoint. I could use that skill," he laughed. "The Batman will never know what hit him."

He wanted her to find out who the Batman was. Her heart sank.

"Listen, I can't even do that anymore," she partially lied.

"I don't like being lied to," his voice rose. "It'll be easy for you. I'll lead you to him, this is brilliant." He began to sound excited.

"I'm not going to tell you who he is, there's more important-" she began to say.

"Is that so?", he replied in a frighteningly calm voice. In a second he was on his feet and approaching her. She backed herself into a corner.

"Please, listen to me," she started to say.

"No, YOU LISTEN," he shouted, grabbing both of her arms. "He's going to wind up being a killer just like me so why protect him?"

"You're wrong," Adriana began, but her voice cut off when he practically threw her into her stove. Her face hit the handle for the oven, as she hit the floor. He bent over her and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"You don't have a choice. When I bring you to him, its his name or your life," he growled. He shoved her back onto the floor and left.

Part 3:

The water below looked like the most icy place in the world, but she wanted to be there. It could be weeks before anyone would find her body. The guilt was overwhelming. How could she ever face anyone? How could anyone kill and then go back out into the world? She hadn't even gone through with it. At least she'd saved Bruce's life by running away. Running away from the Joker. Every now and then a car passed by on the bridge, not noticing her. Carefully she pulled herself over the strong railing. She stood on the thin ledge, the only thing between her and death. The night was black and the warm spring air blew her hair into her eyes making only the faint lights of the city visible.

"Now, that doesn't look like a pleasant way to go out," the strong voice scared her and nearly sent her over the edge. She turned around to see Lucius Fox behind her. She turned back to the water.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him, facing away.

"Walking," he responded. "Whatever it is that's made you consider this will pass."

"No it won't. I'm a horrible person," she replied. "I considered murder."

"Were you in a fight?" he noticed the cut where her face hit the stove's handle.

"No..a confrontation," she replied.

"Boyfriend?" he questioned.

"He's just...someone I was involved with. I never should have. He was angry," she said.

"And you considered killing him?" Lucius asked. "That's self defense."

"No.. I considered killing someone completely innocent," she started to cry.

"Tell me," Lucius said carefully.

"I can't. You'd kill me yourself for what I've gotten involved in."

He touched her arm. "Try me." She took a deep breath.

"The Joker," she breathed out. Lucius what quiet.

"What about him?", he asked. Adriana turned her head left to see him.

"He did this," she indicated her facial bruise. "Because I wouldn't tell him who Bruce was. He found out about-"

"You said someone you were involved with," he cut her off. Adriana faced the waters. "He's manipulated many people. Don't feel guilty if he's corrupted you. You see the truth now."

Adriana shook her head and began to cry out.

"He didn't corrupt me," she began to explain. "I went after him. I persued him." Lucius was silent, waiting for explanation.

"You wanted to kill him," Lucius added. "Everyone does."

"Not him," Adriana swallowed trying to embrace her last moments of dignity.

"Then who?" Lucius was now gripping her arm, prepared to pull her over to the street at any moment.

"His child," Adriana replied in a voice, barely above a whisper.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

"I'm pregnant," Adriana started "With his child." She said each word as if it was it's own sentence. "Do you understand now?" She faced him again.

With great force he pulled her over to the street.

"No," she cried trying to get away. "You don't understand."

"I do understand," he began. His voice instantly calmed her.

"No, you still think I was manipulated or brainwashed into this. I wasn't."

"He's convincing-" he spoke but she cut him off and told him everything in as much self condemning detail as possible.

Lucius backed away from her. She turned back to the water, realizing she had to jump.

"No," he grabbed her arms. "You need to tell Bruce."

"Oh, no way," she pulled away and gripped the railing.

"You don't need to do this. You can be sent away. You can be safe somewhere far from here. We'll help you."

"Could you tell him. I can't do it," Adriana said, holding her head down.

"I'll tell him."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19:

Fox was silent as he drove.

"I'm so stupid," Adriana said under her breath. Fox nodded.

"Stupid for considering jumping off a bridge," he explained.

"What was I thinking?" she said louder. "And not about the bridge." He nodded again, understanding.

"It doesn't sound like you were thinking at all," he said, making a turn.

"I think Bruce might murder me," Adriana said shaking her head.

"He's not a killer," Lucius started to say. "He'll be shocked, but he'll have sympathy."

"I doubt it," Adriana said sounding hopeless. "You probably think i'm a lunatic with no sense."

"I'm not judging you," Lucius said calmy, turning again to Wayne Manor. It was dark outside but the place was still visibly a majestic castle.

"Can I stay here?" Adriana asked, wanting to stay in the car. "Please." Suddenly she felt guilty for leaving him with the responsibility to tell Bruce alone, but there was no way she would be able to do it.

"That's fine," he said, then exited the car, leaving the keys. After he had closed the door and exited the car, Adriana dropped her head into her hands. She looked up again a few mintues later to see him dissapear into the house. Several minutes later it began to rain. _Did he tell him? What if he knows right now? Oh God, what is he thinking?_ _Lucius says he's not a killer...the worst he can do is send me away, or have me arrested. Then I can kill myself and this will all be over with. _Adriana nodded off to sleep, noticing the time was 10:55 pm. She felt like she had woken up again in the same second but then saw that the time was now 11:37. She saw no movement or activity from the house. She let out a deep sigh. She wanted to drive the car away and never look back. It began to rain harder and the first flash of lightning lit up the sky. Someone was opening the door, but she couldnt see who it was. Adriana prayed that it was Lucius to take her back to the bridge. As he decended the steps, Adriana saw that he was a much older man with a large umbrella. He made his was to the car quickly and opened her door on the passenger side.

"Madam, you are welcome to come inside," the man said in a distrusting tone and soft accent, sounding like a bad actor reciting the most ridiculous lines anyone had ever made him read.

"I think I'd rather stay here," Adriana said, suddenly afraid. The man looked harmless but he also looked sicked by her. He'd heard whatever Lucius had decided to tell Bruce, Adriana assumed.

"Mr. Wayne insists," the man sounded impatient and even more disgusted under his large and dark umbrella.

"Okay," Adriana said, getting out of the car to stand under the umbrella. The man slammed the car door quickly. They began to ascend the stairs to the front doors of the mansion. After making their way up half of them Adriana gripped the man's arm which surprised him.

"I can't do this," Adriana said quickly. "I can't...I should be dead." The disgust on his face had softened.

"So it's true," the man said, the disgust completely gone. He began to look ashamed. "You were going to kill yourself."

"Yes, but," Adriana didn't want to have to explain. "I don't know if Lucius told him everything, otherwise he wouldn't be inviting me into his house."

"Well from what little I heard, you're expecting," the man said, moving the umbrella over her. "The child of a madman." He placed his arm on her shoulder to make her move up the steps with him. "Now that part I may have misheard."

"You heard right," Adriana said, walking as slowly as possible.

"Well," the man started to try to walk faster. "The bastard has a long list of crimes. This would be a first for him but its not your fault-"

"I wasn't raped," Adriana explained, nearly walking behind him. "I did this to myself. I'm so stupid." The man's face had gone pale.

"Did he do that," the man looked at the bruise.

"Yeah," Adriana hung her head. "I should just run."

"No, Mr. Wayne insists on you coming in. You're safe here," the man's tone was now sympathetic.

They were at the front doors. The man put the umbrella down and opened the the door for Adriana. She went in quickly.

"Follow me," the man removed his coat. Adriana was glad to be distracted by the magnificence of the inside of the mansion. She followed the older man unthinkingly. He opened another door for her into the most beautiful room she had ever seen. It was dark and illuminated by a great fireplace. Lucius and Bruce halted whatever they were discussing when she entered and both turned to face her. She looked away instantly and the man who had guided her to the room was leaving quickly. He closed the door before she could see him leave.

"Would you like to sit?" Bruce asked her, walking over.

"No, I'm okay," Adriana wished she would have a heart attack and die this very moment.

"Please, sit," Bruce's voice became slightly commanding. Adriana walked over to one of the two chairs in front of the fireplace and sat, shakily. Bruce sat in the other and nodded to Lucius, who left the room. Bruce was wearing dressy pin-striped pants with a black t-shirt. He looked like he could have been having a casual and peacful evening that she had ruined. He leaned foreward and ran a hand through his dark hair.

"I trust Lucius. I know that he would never lie to me-" Bruce began speaking, looking into Adriana's eyes.

"He wasn't lying," Adriana cut him off. "If he told you that I consensually conceived and am now growing the spawn of your archenemy and Gotham's greatest terrorist." Adriana shook her head, not wanting to believe her own words. Bruce leaned back in his chair, moving his hand through his hair again. He nodded as if he understood but still looked confuse.

"He told me you were going to jump from a bridge as well. Any truth to that?" Bruce asked.

"Why is there so much more concern for that than the fact that-," Adriana's voice rose.

"We all make mistakes," Bruce sounded calm. "He's highly manipulative. It wouldn't surprise me if it's happened to others. You were more vulnerable since you can't see his intentions any more."

"Bruce," Adriana's head dropped. She placed her eyes into her palm.

"Yes?" he said, expectantly.

"I was not manipulated into this," Adriana explained with her eyes still covered. "He didn't persuade me in any way. If anything, I was the manipulator. I went after him, this is all my fault and that's why I went to the bridge. It's never happened to anyone else but me. I mean, before me, he'd never even-," Adriana looked up at Bruce. He understood.

"You don't deserve to die for this," Bruce said, still concerned with her attempt at suicide.

"I was going to have an abortion," she explained, trying to justify why she did actually deserve to die. She put her face back into her palm.

"It's an option," Bruce began. "It's wouldn't be an easy choice."

"Should I?", Adriana asked him.

"It's not my place to tell you," Bruce said, reaching foreward and taking her free hand. "But I will tell you this: You aren't a bad person and you don't deserve to die if you do. Look at the circumstances. It would be difficult for you to go through with it but you'll go on." Adriana nodded once and dropped the hand covering her face.

Adriana's thoughts went back to Sidi's words. If she had the child and the child's father ever found out, he would come after them, because in his mind the child was his. This was true, the child would be his, but he would never be a suitable father by any stretch of the imagination. She and his child would be in danger and would be on the run for as long as the Joker was living, which wasn't likely to be long considering his lifestyle. She would be in fear for a long time, trying to protect him. Him. The child was going to be a boy, Sidi had mentioned, her love for him would be pure and true.

"Bruce," Adriana looked into his eyes.

"Yes," his voice was low and peaceful.

"I can't do it," Adriana said quietly.

"Can't do what?", he asked, moving closer.

"Kill my son," Adriana said, moving her left hand over her flat stomach.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

"How far along are you?" Bruce asked.

"Six weeks," Adriana responded.

"Please don't take this the wrong way," Bruce began. Adriana waved her hand to let him know, all things should be out in the open at this point. "Are you sure he's the father of your child? I know you were with Officer Ricard-,"

"Ricard and I haven't been together in almost 3 months," Adriana said.

"Anyone else?" Bruce asked her.

"No one but him, since mid-February," Adriana explained.

"This has been going on since February?" Bruce's eyebrows raised.

"Yeah," Adriana shook her head again. "Six weeks, so I became pregnant in early March."

"Are you sure you want to go through with this? Everything?", Bruce looked at her eyes unblinking.

"I just," Adriana looked away from the penetrating gaze. "My son."

"It's to soon to tell," Bruce stated. Adriana explained everything Sidi had told her. "You were going to tell him that you're pregnant," Bruce looked into the fireplace. "I have to admit. That would be the one of stupidest things you could do."

"I see that now," Adriana looked into the fire too. "I'm actually glad he didn't give me the chance." Adriana faced Bruce. "You told me he killed someone close to you."

Bruce nodded. "I'm not vengeful. Your child will be safe if you have him." Adriana smiled.

"I wasn't thinking that you would hurt him," Adriana said. "I just randomly remembered it now."

"I'm now randomly wondering why he would do this," Bruce took Adriana's chin in his hand and looked at the bruise.

"Because I refused to help him find out who you are. He doesn't know anything about what happened back in February when you wanted me to work for you. He somehow got a hold of my file from the institution and-" Adriana said, her face close to his. Bruce pressed his lips together in moderate guilt. "So it's not your fault."

"I know," Bruce said, leaning back into his chair and gazing at the fire.

"I should go," Adriana said standing up.

"What?", Bruce said, suddenly becoming attentive. "It's not safe. He's looking for you."

"I'll go to a hotel outside of the city," Adriana explained.

"You should stay here," Bruce said, standing up. "You're welcome to. I'm barely here so you would have privacy."

"So why do you have a house if you don't live in it?" Adriana asked, smiling.

"I usually stay in a penthouse downtown," Bruce said, smiling back. "It's not safe for you to go back out there. Alfred!" The man was in the room in an instant. "Ms. Navarro will be staying here for a while. You could stay here for a few days and make sure things are in order for her." Alfred nodded.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Part 1:

"Bruce, this is just," Adriana's voice trailed off for a moment, "Unbearably generous. I can't-,"

"You're very welcome Ms. Navarro," Bruce interrupted, "and Alfred will be sure to make you feel that way while you're here."

Alfred nodded. "I'll be as welcoming as possible while on suicide watch," Alfred said, then crossed his arms.

"Well, I must be going. Make yourself at home," Bruce said.

"Thank you," Adriana replied, humbly. Alfred and Bruce spoke outside of the room before Bruce finally left. After he was gone Alfred insisted that Adriana let him know her clothing sizes and food preferences, since she couldn't return to her house for anything. Alfred then left, leaving Adriana to wonder where he would pick anything up from her short list at nearly two in the morning. Adriana then began to wander the mansion. It took her nearly an hour to find the first bedroom, mainly because she was constantly distracted and in awe at every turn. She sat of the edge of the large bed and looked into the dark fireplace. There was no wood or ashes, making her wonder how long it had been since anyone had lived there. The house felt vast, empty and peaceful. The rain was coming down harder and the thunder went farther away. Adriana decided to crawl under the stiff and heavy blanket to drift off.

Part 2:

The aroma of something cooking practically carried Adriana downstairs and into the largest kitchen she had ever been in. A pretty woman with nearly knee-length dark hair appeared to be cooking up a storm.

"Hi," Adriana said tediously. The woman spun around happily to see her.

"Good morning," the woman replied, appearing momentarily distracted by the bruise on Adriana's face. "How are you madame?" The woman had a light Spanish accent.

"Bien, gracias," Adriana responded.

"Una mujer Espanola," the woman said smiling and noticing Adriana's crisp sound and Spaniard lisp. ASpaniardwoman. "Soy Julia." The woman introduced herself as Julia and sat several plates of food onto the large kitchen table. The woman had prepared enough bacon, eggs, pancakes, sausages, fresh fruit, bicuits and gravy to feed an army. Adriana took a bit of everything and began to eat when Alfred entered the kitchen carrying several bags.

"I took the liberty of purchasing some clothing for you," he stated matter-of-factly. "Of course you can choose things on your own later today of you chose to go out."

"Thanks," Adriana said, admiring the simple clothing that was very similar to what she was already wearing. Plain blue jeans and fitted t-shirts in various colors.

"Bruce also wanted me to let you know that whenever you are feeling better he would like to speak with you," Alfred explained.

"I'm feeling better now," Adriana answered honestly, but wondered if her judgement was impaired because of the amazing food.

"I'll let him know," Alfred said turning to leave.

After eating enough for four people, Adriana went back to the room she had slept in the previous night to use its personal bathroom to shower. She felt like a shiny new penny after putting on the crisp new jeans that fit perfectly and a simple white tee shirt.

She and Alfred headed to Bruce's penthouse after a driver had arrived. In the car, Alfred handed her a large black plastic bag.

"What's this?" Adriana asked him, immediately.

"Disguise," Alfred said, as Adriana pulled out a short black wig with side bangs and large black sunglasses. She put them on smiling.

"How do I look?" Adriana asked him, still giddy.

"Like Jakie O," he responded, smiling at her for the first time.

"Awesome," Adriana laughed.

Bruce's apartment was lavish. It showed the skyline of Gotham through large open glass windows that created the outside walls. Everything was spotless and modern. Bruce greeted them both while he was in the middle of a telephone conversation. He offered Adriana a seat on his couch before Alfred left. He stayed on the telephone in an upbeat conversation for about five more minutes before sitting too.

"I'm glad you decided to come and visit today," Bruce said.

"Of course," Adriana replied.

"I didn't want to pry to deeply yesterday. You seemed pretty fragile," he said, resting an arm on the side of the couch. "You look much more relaxed today though."

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Adriana asked, turning her head towards him. He sat up and faced his body toward her.

"Everything," he replied, calmly. Adriana nodded, knowingly. "It just that, I have a lot of questions."

"It's only natural that you would," Adriana replied, just as calm. "You can ask whatever you want."

"Are you sure?" Bruce raised an eyebrow.

"Absolutely," Adriana said, finally ready to speak.

"Well I supposed I should start at the beginning," Bruce began."I know that you and the Joker were in an institution together. Were you involved then? Is that how this started?"

"No. It started a couple of days after I discharged. I found him at the Deputy Mayor's costume party-"

"He was there?" Bruce asked, looking shocked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Adriana nodded.

"In costume?"

Adriana nodded again.

"I was at that party," Bruce said looking away.

"I know, I saw you there," Adriana said smiling. "You didn't have a costume."

"Did you?" Bruce asked, smiling back.

"Yes, I was an angel," Adriana told him.

"I didn't see you."

"I had on a black catsuit. I was the type of angel that resides over the pits of hell."

"That was you?" Bruce added, laughing. "I didn't recognize you at all."

"Yes that was me," Adriana said laughing back. "He didn't recognize me either. He was dressed in a Vendetta costume."

"How did you know it was him?" Bruce wondered aloud.

"I started talking to him, recognized his voice. He was ignoring me at first," Adriana remembered.

"So then what? He then noticed how amazing you looked?" Bruce laughed again.

"He noticed my costume right away. I became kind of a flirt. He was thinking of killing me whenever he was able to reveal who he was."

"Why didn't he?"

"Because I didn't cringe or back away or recoil. That caught him off guard. I kissed him. I suppose you could say I seduced him."

"Why?" Bruce was sitting on the edge of the couch.

Adriana shrugged and shook her head.

"I don't know. Something magnetized me to him," she shook her head again. "He wanted to manipulate me. Turn me into a suicide bomber. He still didn't know who I was. I invited him to my hotel room and then I showed him. He showed up."

Bruce was listening silently.

"He still wanted to kill me. He had a knife."

"So what happened?" Bruce looked like he was watching a movie in disbelief.

"I gave him the option of leaving or killing me, or whatever else he wanted. I went into the bathroom..he came in with the knife."

"Then what," Bruce sounded like an impatient child.

"I kissed him and," Adriana's head dropped into her palms. "I don't know. Then it just got really crazy. So I guess you could fill in the rest of how I wound up being pregnant."

"So, I supposed it continued after that since you got pregnant in March," Bruce noted.

"Yeah," Adriana sighed and looked back up from her hands at Bruce. "He really scared me last night."

"That hadn't happened before?" Bruce looked up at her forhead.

"No," Adriana started. "But I kept letting him in even though I always felt like it was possible. I always felt like he could lose it at any time. He's so unpredictable. The funny part is that I never wanted to change him. I wanted him to stay like that. I suppose I never pick the best men."

"Did you decide yet?" Bruce pointed to her abdomen.

"I don't know, Bruce," Adriana forced herself to look away. "I know it's a bad idea, but I just feel obligated to tell him something."

"You already tried to," Bruce began to sound frustrated.

"Yeah, I know," Adriana replied. "I won't tell him anything. According to my psychic friend, he'll be furious if he knows and he can't keep this child to himself. Raise him." The words sickened her.

Bruce's cell phone rang. He listened as another male voice rattled off some short words.

"Adriana," Bruce said as soon as he hung up.

"Hm?" Adriana asked, removing the wig which she forgot was still on.

"He's kidnapped Ricard," Bruce said standing. He didn't need to say who."And he sent video to the police."

"Is he dead?" Adriana asked breathlessly. The Joker had no other reason to kidnap Ricard other than to get her to come to him. It was all her fault if anything happened to him.

"I don't know yet," Bruce replied.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Part 1:

"Adriana," Bruce said cautiously. Adriana said nothing but looked at him.

"Who was that on the phone?" Adriana asked.

"Lucius," Bruce replied. "He said that it's on the news. The Joker sent the video to a news station. He mentioned your name in it."

Adriana's body went cold.

"Where's the bathroom?" she asked Bruce, looking around the bright open room.

"There," he responded, pointing direcly ahead of them, "On the other side of that wall."

Adriana ran faster than she thought she would and heaved into the toilet. She coughed violently then got up to close the bathroom door. She turned around and slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor. She wanted to cry but had forgotten how to. The taste of bile in her mouth sent her over to the toilet again. The force of the food being brought up finally made tears in her eyes. She began sobbing until she saw stars when there was a light knock on the door.

"Adriana," Bruce's voice was tranquil and slowly pulled her back into reality. "Are you okay?"

"He's going to die because of me," Adriana said so quietly she was sure that Bruce wouldn't hear her. His silence assured her that he did hear.

"It's not your fault," Bruce said even more calmly.

"Then whose fault is it?" Adriana began crying again. She heard Bruce's phone ring and his footsteps moving quickly away from the door. He was back again quickly.

"Ricard is okay," Bruce said, sounding mildy out of breath compared to his earlier serene sounds. "He's alive, I mean." Adriana already had the door open.

"Where is he?" Adriana asked covering her mouth because she was certain her breath was acidic.

"Hospital," Bruce said as carefully as he could, but Adriana still went pale and rushed back to the toilet. "He's fine he just has cuts."

"Cuts where?", Adriana voiced into the bowl.

"His face," Bruce sounded like he didn't want to say.

"Can I go see him?" Adriana asked him with her head still over the toilet.

"I don't think you should go anywhere," Bruce replied. "Especially not near Ricard, the Joker expects that."

"Ughhhh," Adriana's throat felt raw and burned down from the vomiting. She kept her face in the toilet ashamed because her nose was running, her mouth was dripping, and her eyes were watery.

"I'll give you a minute," Bruce said, seeming to read her mind, before closing the door.

Adriana made a pillow sized wad of toilet paper and buried her face into it. She wanted to start again. Rewind the time to three months ago. She stood up and looked at her red face in the suspended bathroom mirror then splashed it with cold water. Her gaze traveled down to her flat belly and she realized she was at a place of no return. What was done was already done. All she could do was sit back and watch everything that was once only miserable turn to hell and burn. Would Ricard forgive her? He didn't even know what the Joker wanted...unless the Joker had told him what had gone on between them. She wanted to vomit again but there was nothing left. She emerged from the bathroom feeling defeated and drained.

When she came out she saw Lucius and Bruce talking. Lucius turned to her immediately.

"Don't let this get to you," he said comfortingly. "Ricard is fine, just shaken. His scars are thin and will be invisible after laser treatment." Adriana nodded, his voice alone making her feel better. He walked over to her with an alleviating smile and placed his hands on her shoulders. "It would be best for you to remain as discreet as possible, though."

"I know," Adriana looked at him. "I wish none of this was happening."

"We have to protect everyone close to you," Lucius said. "Is there anyone else you think he would go after?"

"Uh...my sister Harri. She's in Canada," Adriana stated. Bruce nodded.

"We have her protected," Bruce said.

"Already?" Adriana asked in disbelief.

"Since last night when you showed up," Bruce explained.

"Anyone else?", Lucius continued. "Parents?"

"They're always moving around, Ethiopia one month, Spain the next, Sudan, Algeria..." Adriana's voice trailed off. "I have hard enough time tracking them down myself."

"I don't think he'd go through all the trouble of sending someone to Africa or Spain," Bruce said. "But we'll take care of it just in case."

"I'm sorry you have to go through all of this trouble," Adriana said solemly.

"Anyone else?" Lucius said again.

Adriana almost felt ashamed thinking. The Joker was the first person who popped into her mind when she thought of the people she wanted to protect. There was no one else. Suddenly she felt all alone.

"Ok, well we're on it," Lucius said at the perfect time before she could sink into sadness.

Part 2:

No one close to Adriana had been kidnapped in the following days but according to Bruce and Lucius' conversations, her name was all over the news. The police were looking everywhere for her. Bruce, as Batman, denied seeing her or having any contact with her for the past few days. He didn't even tell the Comissioner.

The weeks and months went by in agony. The Joker had turned the city into a war zone. The entire city of Gotham seemed like ground zero. Whenever he made a new video or call in to the news, he mentioned her name. Several buildings including churches, schools, banks, universities and even empty warehouses were blown to bits daily. The city was on lockdown and there was a universal curfew put into effect. No one was allowed outside after nine at night or they would run the risk of being arrested and taken in for questioning.

"Bruce I have an idea," Adriana said to Bruce one evening when she decided to leave the Manor and visit his flat.

"What's that?", Bruce was skimming through a newspaper and eating a steak.

"We should tell him that I'm dead," Adriana said. Bruce was quiet. She assumed he was just annoyed since she came up with drastic plans to end the suffering of the city almost every five minutes they were together. He seemed to be ignoring her ideas since she suggested they announce an ebola or smallpox oubreak to quarantine everyone in their homes all hours of the day since the Joker going around blowing up individual homes seemed ridiculous. Bruce got up immediately.

"That's," he started to say.

"Ridiculous, I know." Adriana looked back at her Fit Pregnancy magazine.

"Actually a possible idea," he said smiling.

"Really?" Adriana smiled back.

"Yes!" Bruce looked like he wondered why he hadn't thought of it earlier.

"Say that I died of ebola," Adriana said looking back into her magazine.

"How about suicide?", Bruce said, picking up his phone. "Dive from the bridge?"

"Works for me," Adriana replied, flipping pages.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Part 1:

It was on the news the following morning.

"The body of 31 year old Adriana Navarro was found last night in West River by local officials who had been searching for the missing woman since mid April. Navarro had been searched for hastily since being mentioned as the cause of several of the city's recent crimes and acts of terrorism by the Joker. The connection between Navarro and the Joker has been speculated but inconclusive, though it is known that they were both institutionalized together briefly. The death appears to be the result of suicide since there appears to be no evidence of foul play." The pretty news reporter read as she stood by the water.

"That's brilliant," Alfred said, looking at the televsion.

"I know," Adriana said between spoonfulls of chocolate pudding. "It was my idea."

"I know," Alfred replied with a small look of disgust as Adriana popped an olive into her mouth. "Olives and pudding. Better than ice cream, lobster and apple butter." Alfred shivered recalling her most frequently eaten meal of the previous month.

"I think I want some apple butter mixed into these olives now that you mention it," Adriana said.

"Funny," Alfred said, rolling his eyes.

"No, I'm serious," Adriana said getting up to find the apple butter in the refrigerator. Alfred's look of revulsion when she turned back to her jar of olives sent her into a fit of laughter.

"The doctor should be here any minute," Alfred said, with a steady look of distaste. "Be sure to brush your teeth."

"I'm not five," Adriana replied, vigorously mixing the apple butter in then eating a spoonful of her concoction. "I'm gonna patent this." The doctor rang the doorbell and Adriana sped to brush her teeth. Dr. Nathan's team set up equipment quickly every time they came.

"Very healthy, stong heartbeat," Dr. Nathan said looking into the ultrasound. "Though still very small for five months. Are you eating well?" The doctor asked in a heavy Indian accent.

"I eat a lot," Adriana responded. Alfred, who was standing beside her, nodded.

"Okay, well I can suggest that you drink more water or if you have any stress to please not let it bother you," the doctor spoke looking at the ultrasound. "Also, now at five months I can see the gender of you child. Is that something you want to know?"

"Of course," Adriana nodded.

"You are having a boy," Dr. Nathan said smiling.

Adriana nodded and smiled back.

Part 2:

Adriana forced herself to drink at least a gallon of water a day, which caused some improvement in her eyes.

"Sure you're pregnant?", Bruce joked during another one of Adriana's visits.

"I wouldn't be dipping apple slices in ketchup if I wasn't," Adriana laughed.

"Breaking news," the news reporters voice sounded loud in the previously tranquil kitchen. The man's voice sounded unstable as he explained that 144 elementary and middle school students had been kidnapped, along with 11 school bus drivers. They were in an unknown location but video was showing them in an enormous warehouse, all blindfolded and surrounded by innumerous tanks of gasoline. "There appears to be no motive in this case, I repeat no motive. They have been taken captive my the notorious "Joker". He has made requested no demands of anyone outside or involved in this kidnapping. He has only informed us that they will be killed in 48 hours..." Adriana didn't hear anymore.

She felt ice on her face.

"Wake up!", Bruce's hand held her chin. She looked around her and noticed that she was on the floor.

"Oh my," Adriana breathed and tried to sit up. "God."

"Don't move," Bruce lifter her torso so that she was sitting. "Are you okay now?"

"No," Adriana sighed. "They're going to die..."

"Here," Bruce handed her a glass of icy water. She drank it in less than three gulps, swallowing all of the ice cubes. Bruce raised his eyebrows.

"They're going to die!" Adriana said louder. "All of those children!" She felt faint again.

"We're going to find them. There aren't many vacant warehouses that size in Gotham," Bruce assured her. She shook her head. "This isn't your fault. You're dead as far as he knows." The words because caught in his throat. No demands. He always had demands when he kidnapped. Someone had to do something to generate more chaos, especially a kidnapping of this magnitude.

"Never listen to me again," Adriana demanded. "All I do is make everything worse."

Bruce didn't say anything for a few moments.

"I was bound to come up with that plan myself. You being dead," Bruce said solemly.

"But you didn't. I did," Adriana wished she really had jumped from that bridge. At least she wouldn't have to witness this madness.

That night Adriana had a horrible nightmare. She was tied down to a table in that warehouse in front of all of those people. They weren't blindfolded. They watched in horror as the Joker dug a blade into her belly, which now appeared the size of a normal pregnant stomach at full term. She was fully awake and watched her blood spill into his hands. As he dug deeper he became more careful and at last removed the child. The audience then appeared happy and began to scream with joy. Their faces became evil and grim. He cut the umbilical cord with the same knife and the child began to cry. The cheers became deafeningly loud as Adriana bled out. He wrapped the baby in a clean white blanket but then the child and the blanket shrunk to the size of a golf ball. He simply tucked the miniature child into his pocket and bowed to the ecstatic audience. Her blood was spilling onto the floor and she wondered how she was still alive to be seeing any of this. He walked over to where her head lay down on the table and leaned down to kiss her. She felt the familiar electricity in his contact before everything went black. She was dead.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Part 1:

Adriana's eyes opened to a dark room with white walls. Open and clean. It took her a few moments to remember that Bruce decided that it would be best for her to stay at his penthouse for the night since she seemed unstable to him. The guest room gave a view of the bridge and city lights in the distance. It was 3:00am on the dot so she had slept seven hours. She rolled onto her side and for the first time felt a small movement in her belly. She lifted her shirt to look and saw a tiny bulge move briefly below her navel then disspear. It rose again and she touched it lightly with her index finger. She waited and waited in amazement for another movement until the sun began to rise on the mid-August day. The bright alarm clock radio now said 6:00 am on the dot. She heard some shuffling and movement from another room in the house and decided to get out of bed.

She shuffled quietly into the hallway noticing that Bruce's bedroom door was open. He was inside and appeared to have dressed quickly since his buttons were off by two.

"Good morning," Adriana said lightly. Bruce looked up from slipping on a shoe looking clearly dissapointed that he had to explain his early Sunday morning rush.

"Hi," Bruce looked down looking overly absorbed in his shoes.

"Your buttons are off," Adriana said crossing her arms and tilting her head to the side.

"No one will see," Bruce said carelessly, realizing he'd said too much.

"Batman's up this early?" Adriana said.

"Yeah," Bruce said quickly, deciding to correct his insane buttoning.

"You could at least lie," Adriana requested.

"They caught him this morning," Bruce said, tossing on a belt and purposely looking away. He just had to look when she stood in strange silence. "I'll get him to tell me where they are," he said, his voice softened after looking her way. She was still quiet.

"How?" she said in a voice of disbelief.

"I'll beat it out of him," Bruce said, walking past her in the doorway. She felt the familiar shame when she began feeling protective and almost frightened at the idea of Bruce beating the Joker.

"No," Adriana said, her thoughts coming out before she could control her mouth.

"Why not?" Bruce sounded rushed as he tucked things into his pockets.

"He won't tell you anything and you know it," she said, attempting to distract him from her shielding outburst. He appeared to ignore it. "I should go."

"Like hell you should," Bruce said in a harsh tone she hadn't heard from him yet.

"Why not?" she responded. Bruce was surprised at how little she reacted to his severe outburst.

"You're dead, remember?" he reminded her as though it mattered.

"I'm not really dead but those people will be," Adriana wanted to cry.

"No," Bruce's voice commanded and he made his get away without saying more.

A few minutes later Alfred came in, apparently to baby-sit.

"I want to go out," Adriana said to him while he was fixated on the news in the kitchen.

"No," he responded without looking away from the TV.

"He's off the streets, everyone thinks I'm dead, it's safe. I just want to see a friend," she sounded like she was begging her parents to go to a party.

"What friend?" Alfred sounded interested.

"Not a friend, just my psychic. Please?" she begged more.

"Fine."

Part 2:

Sidi and Aymara had a customer when Adriana and Alfred arrived. He waited on a small couch looking around like he was lost. Adriana stood and waited anxiously until they were done.

"Well if it isn't my most loyal customer! Haven't seen this girl in months!" Sidi exclaimed. She looked over to Alfred who was looking like he was already prepared to leave but he got up and joined them at the small table in the center of the room.

"You know the drill," Sidi said, sipping tea and waiting for Adriana's hands. Adriana was afraid of what she might hear. Sidi took her hands and closed her eyes. In almost the same moment that she took them she pulled them away.

"You expecting?" Sidi asked immediately. Adriana nodded. "When?" Sidi said quickly.

"December third," Adriana replied.

"You're about five months," Sidi said. Adriana nodded again and raised an eyebrow. "Eat more." Sidi said then took Adriana's hands again.

"I can see it ma," Aymara said looking at Adriana from the side. She was leaning over in her chair that was on Adriana's left. "Tiny, but definitely there." She reached a hand over to touch the bulge.

Sidi was quiet for several minutes. She had Adriana's hands in hers and her eyes were closed tightly. The minutes ticked by and Alfred began to look bored. Then she removed her hands slowly and even slower opened her eyes.

"How well do you know this man?" Sidi asked, indicating Alfred.

"Well enough. Why?" Adriana responded.

"You want him to hear or not?" Sidi sounded serious.

"Yes, he can hear. It's fine," Adriana began to feel panic.

"You sure?" Sidi looked at Alfred.

"Yes! I'm sure," Adriana's panic rose.

"Listen to me carefully," Sidi began. Adriana nodded and glanced at Alfred who seemed just as interested.

"I see death," Sidi started. She was quiet then looked away. Adriana said nothing. Sidi looked back at Adriana and her gaze went slowly to the table as if she could see through it to Adriana's stomach.

"My son?" Adriana asked in a gasp. Sidi nodded and almost looked like she was holding back a waterfall of tears.

"Listen," Sidi said again. She shook her head again as if unable to continue.

"I am," Adriana said feeling Alfred's hand on hers.

"That is where I am getting the strongest sense of death. Nothing is guaranteed," Sidi's eyes began to glaze with tears.

"No," Adriana said, remembering touching the tiny bulge of his foot this morning.

"Nothing is guaranteed as I said," Sidi's first tear fell. Adriana felt as though she had no more tears left.

"I heard," Adriana looked down at Alfred's hand. "How?"

"This child's father," Sidi said quickly removing her tear with the back of her hand. "He is in control of this death. All this says to me is that this man is a killer. He will kill."

"He'll kill my son?" Adriana's tears began to form.

"I sensed that he does not even know the child was concieved," Sidi shook her head confused.

"You're right, he is a killer and he doesn't know," Alfred spoke for the first time. Sidi looked over to him. "What do you mean he is in control of this death?" Adriana was speechless and was glad Alfred was there to ask the questions. Sidi looked at Adriana.

"Please answer anything he asks you," Adriana croaked looking down.

"She will tell him about this child," Sidi began.

"She will not," Alfred responded with harshness.

"She will. He will take the child after he is born," Sidi continued, unfazed.

"And then kill him?" Alfred sounded angrier than Adriana had ever heard him, but he said everything she would have said if she could talk.

"Not intentionally," Sidi took Adriana's hands again. "No, not intentionally. He wants the child to be like him. A continuance of himself. But he cannot care for a child, he has no means or knowledge to. The child will become sick and he will not know what to do for him. He has no one to help him. The child dies two months after birth." Adriana let out a wail that even was a shock to her. Aymara placed an arm around her shoulder.

"And that's it?" Alfred's voice was now solemn.

"It can be changed, but there will still be death. You can save the child's life, but another must be sacrificed. The only one in control is this child's father." Sidi said, trying to find the words. "He will decide who will die. Someone must die if this child lives. Death is unavoidable. It is up to this man. This dark man that I cannot see."


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25:

Part 1:

"Do this again, because she will tell him nothing!" Alfred said in a hard voice while pushing Adriana's hands towards Sidi.  
>"It will only change if you do," Sidi said in a soothing voice to Adriana, whose head was still hanging down. She nodded without looking up. There was no way she could tell him. Sidi took Adriana's hands again gently.<br>"This man believes that you are dead?" Sidi asked. "I sense grief."  
>"Yes," Adriana frowned unable to believe that he would be feeling grief. "Grief?" Sidi's brow frowned too.<br>"Yes, but," Sidi looked perplexed with her eyes closed. "Grief, guilt, he cannot handle these feelings.  
>"Why guilt?" Alfred asked thinking of the millions of things the Joker could feel guilty for.<br>"This will hurt many people, but you will be safe. You will be okay," Sidi explained, ignoring Alfred's question. "The only reason I can see into his guilt is because you have his child inside of you."  
>"So I can tell him and have him take my son away," Adriana said, "Or I can keep him a secret and let the city suffer."<br>"The city?" Aymara chimed in. "Who's the father?" Aymara looked to Sidi who shrugged her shoulders. Alfred and Adriana were silent.  
>"Who?" Sidi asked calmly. "Whoever he is, whatever gang he's in, he can't cause more trauma to the city than what's being caused now. It'll be okay."<br>"She can't tell you," Alfred said, beginning to stand up. "We should be going now."  
>"There are many directions that you can go, many choices that you can make," Sidi began talking quickly taking Adriana's hands again. "You still care about that man I can see that but you most love your son first. And most of all you must learn to accept love for yourself. Stop loving those who cannot show you love back and things will change."<p>

Part 2:

Alfred was talkative while driving back to Wayne Manor. He saw it as amazing news that she and her son would be safe as long as she stayed hidden and quiet. They arrived to Julia's elaborate dinner.  
>"What's the occasion?" Adriana asked Julia after seeing the variety.<br>"No occasion!" Julia cheered as Adriana and Alfred ate. Adriana went into the living room with the large fireplace and fell asleep on the couch to a dreamless slumber. Bruce's touch woke her in the late evening.  
>"Do you want to go upstairs and sleep?" Bruce asked her sounding drained.<br>"No," Adriana said with her eyes still closed.  
>"Alfred told me about your psychic visit," Bruce sighed. Adriana felt the couch sink under Bruce's weight near her feet. "You'll be safe."<br>"Gotham won't," Adriana replied into the pillow. "Did you find out where the hostages are?"  
>"No. Beat him senseless. He didn't respond to anything and was completely silent the entire time," Bruce sighed. "Didn't try any mind games. Nothing."<br>"So they're going to die tomorrow," Adriana's voice was muffled into the pillow.  
>"No, we'll find them," Bruce said as encouragingly as he could through his exhaustion. The couch raised as he went to sit in a chair in front of the fire. Adriana sat up and watched him walk over in the dark. He settled in the soft chair and looked like he would drift off too. Adriana walked over to him and watched him sitting with his head back and eyes closed. He opened his eyes slowly to see her move down to the floor in front of him to sit. "Bruce," she said quietly, looking into the fire. He was quiet. "I should go."<br>"Go where?" he asked sleepily. "Do you want to stay in Gotham tonight?" Her eyes moved to his.  
>"No," she said carefully. "I should just go. He'll excape from the police soon. He'll kill so many people, Bruce."<br>"You can't be talking about going back to him," Bruce sat up. "He'll kill your child, Alfred said."  
>"He won't. I'll be there," Adriana reasoned, sounding like she was accepting her fate. "She said he'd be alone. Originally I wanted to tell him and make him understand the child would be better off with me. He'd never accept that. He would just take my son and leave."<br>"Adriana-" Bruce leaned foreward.  
>"I have to. I have to stay with him and help him," Adriana's eyes watered. "I can't stay here and have innocent people die."<br>"You can't go back to him," Bruce's voice wavered.  
>"Why not?" Adriana said, sounding like she had given up all hope.<br>"Why not! Look at what he's doing, Adriana!" Bruce's voice was rising. "He's a danger to the city. A terrorist with no motive." Adriana was shaking her head.  
>"It'll be better if I go. It wasn't this bad when I was with him," Adriana said looking into Bruce's eyes.<br>"Yeah the terror was less for Gotham but your own safety means nothing to you," Bruce spat. Adriana started to stand up but Bruce had his arms on hers and was kneeling in front of her in the same moment. He pulled her forarms until she was sitting again. He took her chin into his hands.  
>"You're not going," he said gently.<br>"Why do you care, Bruce?" Adriana said, pushing his hands away. He took her face again.  
>"Because I want to protect you," he said with his face close to hers.<br>"You need to be protecting Gotham. The city is at risk because of me-" Bruce placed a finger over her mouth and moved himself closer. Adriana turned from him when she could feel his breath on her lips.  
>"I don't deserve you," Adriana breathed, while looking into the dark room away from the fire.<br>"But you deserve a villain that puts hands on you?" Bruce sighed.  
>"I did this to myself," Adriana said while looking at him again.<br>"Well, I suppose I did this to myself," Bruce said. "Did wha-" Adriana began to ask, but her words were silenced in Bruce's kiss.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Part 1:

"I don't deserve you, Bruce," Adriana repeated with her eyes still closed after he had moved away. Somehow her arms had found him and they were kissing again.

"Why do you say that?" Bruce said when he got the first opportunity to speak. She leaned away from him and looked into his eyes intensely.

"Because over a hundred people are going to die tomorrow because of me," she said with her eyes watering.

"That's not your fault. They're going be okay," Bruce tried to assure her.

"Because I'm a liar," Adriana said.

"Sometimes we have to lie," Bruce shrugged his shoulders.

"Because.." Adriana reached for his hand and moved it to the small movement on her belly. She was dissapointed when he smiled and moved closer. "You're not supposed to like this."

"Why not? That's amazing. What does it feel like?" Bruce said with his hand still on her. She shrugged her shoulders and looked away.

"Bruce, please. Take me to him. If they die I'll die too," Adriana changed the subject. "Please."

His eyebrows were raised and his expression was serious.

"He doesn't have to see me, please. I can do it from an observation room if I try hard enough. Please, Bruce. Please," Adriana pleaded.

"Tonight?" Bruce sounded exhausted.

"Please," Adriana repeated.

"Fine, but the police think that you're dead," Bruce explained. "You'll need to be disguised since we don't know who we can trust there."

"Just tell the Comissioner," Adriana looked down. "He'll probably hate me."

"He'll understand. He's had to play dead himself," Bruce stood up and helped Adriana stand too.

Part 2:

The Comissioner didn't seem surprised at all to see Adriana alive and admitted to being suspicious about the whole death story. He asked about why the Joker was looking for her and wanted an honest answer but the Batman told him that he shouldn't explain. Luckily Comissioner Gordon was understanding and didn't pry about anything. He trusted them. Adriana and the Batman stood in an observation room while the Comissioner went to get the Joker, who was most likely asleep since is was two in the morning.

"Are you going in there?" Adriana asked the Batman who stood next to her looking like he was daydreaming.

"No," he replied in a disguised and husky voice even though no one else was around.

"You should," Adriana responded. "He'll know I'm not dead if you don't." Bruce looked confused. He was tired.

"How?" he said with his voice still covered.

"Because he's being brought into the interrogation room in the middle of the night for no reason and then he'll know when the hostages are found. There's no other explanation," Adriana explained. "Then he'll break out of here and come looking for me." Bruce was tired.

"He won't. I don't think he'll think that far," he sighed. Adriana shook her head, too tired to argue. Moment's later they saw the door open on the other side of the glass.

The Joker was led in with four armed policemen who looked confused. The Joker looked like he didn't care about the situation at all. He sat at the table in the center of the room with his head down. Adriana was unprepared for the emotions she would feel from seeing him again. He looked tired and careless. The paint on his face was barely there except for the darkness around his eyes and white on his forehead. There were traces of red in his scars. He was covered in bruises which she was sure the Batman had given him earlier that evening. The scars on his once smooth arms were enough to make her eyes sting but she fought the tears. She couldn't wait to hate him and stop feeling this way.

"See anything?" the Batman asked in a tired and rough voice that reminded her why she was here. She squeezed her eyes trying to see anything from him. She focused hard until she had to lean foreward onto the table in front of her. His thoughts were full of her and nothing else. She didn't want to see this because it made her want to run into the interrogation room to be with him. The thoughts of herself were shoved aside and she vaguely found a warehouse which appeared to be in a busy part of the city. She saw the streets and told the Batman,

"They checked there already," he said.

"I think they should send the Comissioner to check," Adriana said, immediately suspicious of the cops who had been sent to check that location. The Batman nodded and went to inform the Comissioner who was out in the hallway. Adriana sat and watched the Joker. He looked curious when the cops returned to take him back to his cell with no explanation. Adriana forced herself into his mind to see what he was thinking before they could take him away. He was suspicious.

"They're on it," the Batman said when he returned. "Do you want to leave now?"

"I think he might figure it out," Adriana nearly said his name but was glad she caught herself since the Comissioner and other police officer was right behind him. "Ahh, no I think I'll wait until they see if that's the right place." Adriana changed topic quickly. The Comissioner nodded.

"We'll know in about ten minutes," he explained. Adriana stood up and was slightly dizzy from focusing so hard.

"Okay, I'll wait then," she looked back at the Comissioner who was just now noticing her belly.

"Are you pregnant?" he asked immediately with a small smile forming.

"Yes," Adriana nodded, wondering if he'd be smiling if he knew the truth.

"Wow, congratuations," he replied. Adriana was glad that she'd never seen the other cop in the room. He must have been new and he didn't look very interested. He began asking her if she was okay and in a safe place to which she responded honesly. She was being taken care of very well and was safer than ever. The Comissioner left and came back a few minutes later with good news.

"We found them! Everyone," he said sounding overjoyed.

"Are they okay?" the Batman asked.

"Hungry and scared but they'll live," Gordon responded.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27:

Part 1:

Adriana and the Batman arrived and left in separate vehicles. He had decided he wanted to stay in the city for the night so Adriana asked her driver to take her to his penthouse. He was already there and back to being Bruce when she arrived.

"That was fast," Adriana said as soon as he opened the door.

"I was slower than usual since I'm exhausted," Bruse said, closing the door behind him.

"You really didn't take it easy on him at all," Adriana said, sitting on the couch, too tired to walk to the guest room. His bruises were fresh in her memory.

"I did what I had to," Bruce yawned and sat next to her. His place was dark and only illuminated by the city lights. Adriana leaned over an put her head on his lap. It felt natural in her exhaustion and he didn't seem to mind at all.

"Do you know what I do every night before I go to sleep?" Adriana asked feeling Bruce's hand on her hair.

"Hm?" he sighed, sleepily with his eyes closed.

"I pray," she said, moving her palm to the cheek on his pants leg.

"Pray for what?" he said sounding half asleep.

"I kneel on the side of the bed. I cover my hair to be as humble as possible," she began.

"Mhm," Bruce sounded more awake.

"And I beg to God. I pray that my son turns out to be nothing like me or his father," Adriana felt herself drifting off.

They fell asleep.

Part 2:

The news that the Joker had excaped police custody didn't surprise Adriana at all. Bruce, on the other hand, seemed moderately shocked especially since the Joker had appeared so careless and didn't seem like he would attempt an excape at all when he saw him.

"He knows, Bruce," Adriana said as Bruce was cooking a basic breakfast of bacon and eggs.

"He doens't know anything," Bruce responded, turning off the TV.

"He does," Adriana sighed and leaned foreward on the kitchen table wanting to sleep again. "He wasn't planning to excape last night when we saw him and I saw that in his mind. He wasn't thinking about anything." Adriana lied since she didn't want to tell Bruce that the Joker's thoughts were of her.

"He changed his mind," Bruce said, pulling plates from the kitchen shelf abover his head.

"Yeah, after he found out that the hostages were found," Adriana lost her appetite.

"It doesn't matter if he suspects you're alive. You're safe," Bruce pushed a plate to her. "No one's seen you."

"Sure," Adriana said hopelessly.

When he dropped her off at Wayne Manor that afternoon she felt safe. She wanted to enjoy the last bits of the summer heat so she layed out in the backyard in a bikini until the sun went down.

"Te ves como una mujer brasileña," Julia exclaimed when Adriana finally came back into the house. _You look like a Brazilian woman. _Alfred was eating and nodded in agreement.

"You understand Spanish?" Adriana asked him.

"Of course," Alfred replied. "Normally when people tan they turn an irritating orange." Alfred admired her light caramel brown skin. Adriana looked in the mirror and laughed as she looked at her brown skin which made her eyes look more intense under her dark lashes. It reminded her of when she was young and her family lived for a couple of years in Arizona and she was constantly this color.

"¿De dónde eres?" Julia asked, fixing a plate for Adriana. _Where are you from?_ Julia was confused because of Adriana's Spaniard accent. She began naming Carribean and Central and South American countries to which all Adriana responded, no. The guessing game was fun for both of them but Alfred seemed annoyed.

"Soy Negra," _I'm Black _Adriana finally said, since Alfred seemed at his wits end and wanted to hear the television. She then explained that her father was from Spain and her mother was from West Africa.

"Ayyy, Hermosa, Bonita..." Julia went on the say every Spanish word for beautiful until Alfred sighed.

"Are we talking too much?" Adriana asked him, laughing. She was glad for this funny moment to take her mind off of the outside world.

Adriana noticed as she ate that she wasn't gettng full. She felt like she could eat for forever so she did. She munched all night and into the next morning. Finally her appetite was becoming enormous.

"Alfred, will you take me into the city?" Adriana asked Alfred who was drinking coffee and staring into the back garden.

"Bruce thinks it's best of you stay in until he's detained again," Alfred said.

"I'll wear my new wig, its long and brown and curly. No one would recognize me especially since I'm brown now," Adriana laughed thinking of last night.

"Where to?" Alfred seemed happy to get out of the house.

"I want to see Sidi and Aymara again," Adriana explained as they left a few minutes later. Alfred shook his head.

Part 3:

"This is the last time," Sidi said when she took Adriana's hands.

"What's the last time for what?" Adriana asked barely seeing Sidi under the curly wig's bangs.

"This," Sidi held up Adriana's hands. "It's best. I like making money but you need help."

"What are you talking about?" Adriana asked her.

"I enjoy the $10 you give me but I am not helping you. You need to stop this," Sidi sounded tired. "Your future changes more than anyone I have ever seen. You live on the edge and you cling to unpredictability and danger. You need to accept peace and security. Think about your child."

"I'm trying Sidi," Adriana explained.

"Not trying hard enough," Sidi breathed. "You fear this danger and destiny changing as soon as the wind blows but you won't accept stability and love. Don't come back here for this."

Adriana began to roll her eyes but stopped when Sidi looked serious. Sidi closed her eyes.

"You are in danger again," Sidi sighed. "Your child's father suspects that you are alive."

"How?" Adriana gasped.

"Someone told him. Someone who was around you that you didn't care to shield what you were doing from," Sidi continued. The uninterested cop from last night, Adriana knew it.

"Does he know-" Adriana began asking.

"He is not sure of anything but he was informed of a pregnant woman," Sidi said calmly. "Fitting your description vaugely. That's it."

"That's it? What's going to happen?" Adriana panicked.

"No more," Sidi stood up and waved her hand.

"Where's Aymara?" Adriana looked around.

"She won't help you either. She agrees with me," Sidi was shaking her head and walking away.

"Please," Adriana wanted to cry but felt silly.

"I told you what you need. Peace, stability, safety, security. Stop running from it and you will be fine."

Adriana pouted when she returned to the car. Alfred looked curious but didn't ask anything.

"He knows," Adriana said quietly as they pulled onto the highway to exit Gotham City.

"That woman is a crook," Alfred said.

"No she's not. I told Bruce he would figure it out. Someone told him and I think I know who it was but I doubt we'd find him now." Adriana sighed.

"Who?" Alfred turned to her.

"A cop," Adriana explained carefully. "He was in the room with us."

"If he has any connection with the Joker he's probably long gone by now. I'll tell Bruce to look into it but..."

"I know," Adriana said under her breath. "Wanna know what's worse?"

"What?" Alfred said, doubting it could get any worse than him knowing she was alive and out for her again.

"He knows that I'm pregnant," Adriana leaned her head against the car window. She wanted to be upset and to stress and begin panicking but she had done enough of that in the past few months to last her a lifetime. She felt numb and almost didn't care but a tiny poke in her belly gave her feelings again.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28:

Part 1:

"Can I see Bruce today?" Adriana asked Alfred who seemed a bit panicked.

"If he knows like you say he does then you shouldn't be in the city," Alfred said in a commanding and fatherly voice.

"Please?" Adriana pleaded.

"He's working. Wayne Enterprises does require _some _of his attention," Alfred ignored her. "And maybe you've forgotten you have an appointment with Dr. Nathan in half an hour as well."

"Yeah, I forgot," Adriana replied. She hadn't forgotten but she was becoming tired of seeing a doctor so often. Dr. Nathan visited every few days under Bruce's command to make sure that she and her child were doing well.

Dr. Nathan seemed pleased with Adriana's rapid weight gain and more prominent belly. He changed her due date to December first. Bruce came to visit that evening and informed Adriana and Alfred that the cop from the previous night was a transfer and had tranferred back to Chicago that morning. They weren't surprised when no one could find him or contact him. He was the leak.

"It doesn't matter though," Bruce said sounding confident. "You're safe."

"Alfred told me that I shouldn't go into the city," Adriana said, rolling her eyes. Bruce couldn't see though because they were in the dark den sitting in front of the fireplace. The fire looked close to death but provided the perfect amout of warmth for a brisk evening.

"He's right," Bruce said. "It's more dangerous now if what your psychic said is completely true. No one's seen him since he excaped. He hasn't done anything criminal yet which makes me think he may be planning something."

"I should go, Bruce," Adriana didn't want to think about what the Joker's plans were. "I should fly to Brazil or something."

"Why Brazil?" Bruce laughed.

"Because Julia keeps telling me I look Brazilian," Adriana laughed back. "So maybe I'll blend in, and my son too."

"Do you really want to do that?" Bruce turned to look at Adriana sitting on the left side of the couch holding a closed book she couldn't see to read since the fire started to die.

"Why not? I wouldn't have to worry. He wouldn't expect me to go to Brazil and he'd never look for me there," Adriana replied.

"So you want to run away from me basically," Bruce sighed.

"No," Adriana's thoughts rushed back to Sidi's last words to her. "But I can't stay here."

"Yes you can. You just don't want to for some reason and I'm beginning to think it's me," Bruce responded.

Adriana was quiet. She though about how close she and Bruce had become over the last few months and wondered if she would still want to run away if they hadn't. If he hadn't kissed her, taken care of her and made her feel protected all the time...

"You're right," Adriana said, raising her eyebrows in disbelief with herself. Bruce turned to her quickly almost beginning to feel offended but the tone in her words calmed his assumptions.

"I am?" Bruce moved closer.

"Why are you so nice to me, Bruce?" Adriana wondered aloud.

"I'm no nicer than anyone should be," Bruce wrapped an arm around her. "I suppose you're just not used to it."

"I'm going to be someone's mother, Bruce," Adriana said, wanting to lean away but couldn't.

"Please," Bruce noticed her recoil and gently moved her face to his. "Stop being ashamed. I care about you and I'll care about your son."

"It's his son," Adriana wished he wasn't so kind.

"Excuse after excuse for why you won't let me love you," Bruce breathed close before he kissed her.

_Love..._The word was comforting to her ears.

Part 2:

That night Adriana dreamed of Bruce. In her dreams the Manor was bright and alive. The simple garden that was there now was lush and elaborate. Suddenly she felt as though she was him. The world was nothing more than an adventure. She assumed he was a child because she felt is body running through the garden feeling overwhelmingly carefree. She felt happy when she looked at the beautiful little girl who ran behind her. Something shifted and surprised her as everything went black. She was falling. The shift from the playful freedom to this sudden sinking was abrupt enough that her confusion blocked all fear. The fear came gradually as she felt pain in both arms. She opened her eyes in the dark when she felt sharp pains all over her body and saw the bats swarming around her head. She began to scream and attempted to swat them away with her arms but it was like swinging at concrete birds. Her screams became louder as she realized that the birds would probably kill her or leave her looking like a mutant.

"Adriana!" she heard a voice loud above her and felt comforting arms. Was she being rescued? The thoughts flooded in so fast she couldn't keep up. The next thing she knew she was feeling staggering guilt as she looked down at two dying people. They were his parents. She began to cry relentlessly.

"Adriana wake up!" she heard it again. It was Bruce. She opened her tear filled eyes quickly and looked around in her bright room. The sun was up. "What wrong? Why are you screaming? Are you in pain?"

"I'm okay," Adriana breathed sounding embarassed. It had been so long since something like this had happened. She looked over to see Alfred looking horrified in the doorway. "I'm okay, I'm okay."

"Then why are you screaming?" Bruce asked gently.

"Nightmare," Adriana explained with one word.

"A nightmare? You were screaming like you were in labor. You look sick now, I'll bring you some water," Alfred interjected from the door and walked away quickly.

"A nightmare about what?" Bruce asked with his voice still gentle.

"You," Adriana sounded nervous.

"Me?" Bruce was curious. "What did I do?"

"Nothing, nothing," Adriana responded. "It was a dream that I _was _you. I was outside in the garden just running around and then I fell down to...well I think it was hell. It happened so fast and then there were people dying in front of me and I was so shameful..." She stopped talking when she realized his facial expression.

"I'm sorry, I said too much," Adriana said quickly. She wished she had a one way plane ticket to Rio de Janeiro. Alfred had entered the room again with an tall glass of ice water.

"No," Bruce looked at her with his shock quickly fading and his voice solemn. "It's alright. I guess it just surprised me at first that you would dream of that. Are you okay now?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Adriana said before drinking the water. Alfred didn't ask what she had dreamed about.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29:

"I need to go into the city to see Sidi and Aymara. I can't take this anymore," Adriana began to explain to Bruce about how she didn't fully listen to Sidi's instructions the first time she attempted to remove the curse in Adriana's mind. Hence, why she seemed intoxicated when they first met.

"That's not neccesary," Bruce shook his head. "I'm not upset or offended at all. This just took me be surprise and I'm sure you've seen the worst of what my mind has to offer."

"There was a girl," Adriana spontaneously recalled the joy she felt when looking at her. "Really beautiful girl. Is she your sister?" Adriana also remembered the girl's dark hair and intense eyes which reminded her of Bruce.

"No. She was a childhood friend of mine. She passed away almost a year ago," Bruce explained.

"I'm so sorry. What happened to her?" Adriana's mind was pained to think of something happening to this precious angel in her dream.

"She was killed," Bruce noticed Adriana's gasp. "The Joker killed her and attempted to kill the Mayor, Harvey Dent."

"Bruce, I'm sorry," Adriana's voice croaked. Bruce noticed that unlike her first apology, this wasn't one of sympathy. She sounded guilty.

"Adriana don't apologize like it was your fault. You had nothing to do with that," Bruce said in a smooth and calming voice.

"Yeah, but," Adriana didn't know what to say.

"You didn't even know who he was when this happened," Bruce warmed Adriana's hands in his.

"Why did he do that?" Adriana cried then realized the question was silly. There was never a reason. Adriana felt a little suprise when she looked up and saw Lucius in the doorway with Alfred. He didn't seem as tranquil as he normally was.

"Bruce, may I speak with you?" Lucius said quickly. Bruce turned around, clearly surprised too.

"Of course," Bruce said and turned back to Adriana. "I'll be right back." He stood from the bed and walked out into the hall with Lucius who shut the door quickly behind him.

"What's going on?" Adriana asked Alfred, who stayed in the room with her.

"Do I look like a mind-reader?" Alfred said sarcastically. "You do."

Adriana wasn't curious enough to read into what Lucius had to tell Bruce. But then again, Lucius was rarely at Wayne Manor. He came barely once a month and never unnanounced and suprising to Bruce. Now she wanted to know. She had to focus and hard as she did when she was trying to see what the Joker was thinking. Finally, after nearly breaking a sweat Adriana could see Bruce's thought's but not Lucius'. He was worried and kept repeating a name in his head. Someone else had been kidnapped by the Joker however no video was sent to the news station. It was sent to Comissioner Gordon to give to the Batman or to Adriana who he knew was alive. He wanted Adriana to come to him alone. He had Harri.

Bruce and Lucius entered the room again looking as though they didn't know how to break the news to her gently.

"I already know," Adriana said calming them. She began to shake her head. They would convince her not to go. Tell her that the would find Harri and that everything would be okay and that she needed to stay hidden and do nothing. But she couldn't. And in all honesty with herself, she didn't want to. She had to go to him.

"Adriana, you don't need to do anything. We'll handle this," Bruce said.

"Somehow I knew you would say that," Adriana laughed sadly.

"He won't kill her," Bruce assumed. "He didn't kill Ricard so it's unlikely he will-"

"I don't care. He will hurt her in some way, Bruce. I can't let that happen. And honestly, I think it's time," Adriana said.

"Time for what?" Lucius asked.

"Time for me to stop hiding like this," Adriana replied.

"He'll ask about the Batman's identity," Alfred jumped into the conversation.  
>"I won't tell him anything," Adriana said very sure of herself. "He'll have to kill me first."<p>

"Your sister decided to visit you since she hadn't heard from you in so long. That's how he got her. No one you are close to knew about your false death since they aren't in Gotham to hear it on the news. He wants you to go to your house. Said there would be something for you there telling you where your sister is. If anyone else goes to the house or wherever he has her, he's threated to kill her," Lucius stated.

"Well then, I'm going alone," Adriana stood from the bed, feeling silly wearing pajama's in a room of dressed men with serious faces.

"Adriana, please," Bruce sounded pained.

"I have to, Bruce."


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30:

The decision was made. Bruce, Lucius and Alfred left Adriana alone that afternoon but were making arrangements of theie own. She was worried but had to prepare herself mentally.

"We'll be tracking the car that you'll be driving," Bruce told her in a serious voice. "And we'll place a microphone and camera on you. He won't be able to see or detect any of this so don't worry. We'll always know where you are and we'll be following far enough behind that he won't know. The police don't know about this situation at all, except for Gordon and he's agreed to allow us to handle this on our own. We know about everything that the police has to tell me beforehand. It might seem like we are spying on them but it's better this way so that Lucius can find things out for me without jeopardizing my identity or connection to Wayne Enterprises."

"I understand," Adriana said truthfully. "I'm ready to leave."

Bruce nodded even though he looked like he wanted to shake his head and beg her not to go. They applied the nearly invisible camera and microphone which were hidden in normal accesories. Lucius carefully placed the smallest earphone she had ever seen in her life into her ear. She couldn't feel it at all when he was done. He and Lucius led her to the simple black car that had been prepared for her quickly.

"We can hear everything you say and see everything that you can," Lucius spoke as Bruce became silent.

Adriana didn't want to allow her emotions in to this situation. She wanted to leave as fast as she could to avoid them. All she wanted to do was pull Bruce into that car with her and have him protect her and get Harri back. But if she did, the Joker would not be happy. She could tell that Bruce was fighting the same thing. The didn't say any goodbyes as she got into the car and he couldn't see her anymore behind the dark tinted windows. Adriana drove off without looking back. It had been a long time since she had driven a car and didn't even have a license with her but she didn't care. She was physically alone and felt liberated. She followed the familiar route that she had seen Alfred drive dozens of times back into Gotham city. The sun appeared to be beginning to set even though it was only 4pm.

When she arrived at her house she was unafraid to go inside. She felt more nervous about a neighbor or aquaintance seeing her and wondering how she had risen from the dead. Her front door was unlocked which was lucky because she didn't even remember to bring her key and didn't want to make herself even more noticible by trying to break in. The house was clean and dark and silent. It looked exactly as she had left it except that there was a small enveloped taped to the stove handle when she entered the kitchen. She ripped it in half in her frenzy to get it open. The held the two halves of the note together and her heart nearly jumped from through her throat when she hear Bruce's voice through the earphone in her right ear.

"Good work, we got the address," his voice was nearly a whisper. Adriana dropped the papers in her surprise. "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you." Bruce sounded like he was about to laugh but he held it in well. "I'll be telling you how to get there while you drive. Don't worry, you won't see us but we'll be behind you."

Bruce spoke in the same whispery voice as Adriana drove. It felt like she was driving forever. The address was outside of Gotham. It became dark outside when she asked Bruce if she was almost there.

"Almost," his voice comforted.

"Where are you?" Adriana asked him.

"Behind you," he responded. "Far behind enough that you can't see us but we're close."

"But where will you be when I get there?" Adriana didn't want to sound like she was panicking. She was only wondering.

"The same thing. Far enough away that you or he won't be able to see us but we can get there in an instant," Bruce consoled.

"Does he know about this Bruce?" Adriana asked, wondering if he would understand what she meant. He did.

"He has no idea about the extent of our connection, Adriana. It sounds like he believes that we only met the one time in the police station. He doesn't know that you were asked to work for me or are being hidden by me if that's what you mean," he said.

"Yeah, that's what I meant," Adriana was relieved.

"You're about ten minutes away from the address that he gave you," Bruce informed her.

"How did you get the directions so fast?" Adriana laughed.

"Lucius is great with that," he laughed back.

"Is he with you?" Adriana wondered.

"No, he's in a station where he can see and hear everything you can I see or hear," Bruce explained.

"Sheesh how many computers does he have?" Adriana wondered out loud.

"A lot," Bruce's voice sounded like he was smiling.

"I'm not afraid, Bruce," Adriana's statment returned seriousness to the conversation.

"Good, and you don't have to be. I'm right behind you."


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31:

Bruce became quiet as she approached her destination.

"Did she look okay, Bruce?" Adriana asked about Harri. She didn't watch the video with them before she left.

"He had his face covered the entire time in a ski mask. Chances are she doesn't know who he is yet so she didn't seem afraid, just annoyed." Bruce explained. Sounded like Harri.

"Okay, I guess that's good," Adriana replied, seeing the building she was supposed to go into. She began to drive slower and she approached what appeared to be an abandoned factory. "I'm here, Bruce."

"Okay, I'm listening to and seeing everything. Don't worry, I'm a hearbeat away," Bruce said.

Adriana parked next to the door and left the car. Most of the windows in the building were too dirty to see in or were cracked open to reveal nothing but darkness.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Adriana whispered to Bruce who heard her loud and clear.

"Positive," Bruce whispered back.

"Okay, I'm going in," Adriana said in a barely audible voice.

The door squeaked loudly as she opened it. The place looked deserted. Adriana had a hard time imagining Harri in a place like this. She heard a quiet tapping sound above her and decided to look for a stairwell. The building was so dark she had to feel around to find it. There was a railing in the middle of the second room she entered. She walked up slowly to an assembly floor. There were several rusted machines and assembly lines. She saw dark empty fields and a gas station far off in the distance through one of the broken windows.

"That was fast," Adriana jumped and turned around to see him. The Joker with fresh paint of his face. It still appeared to be wet around his eyes.

"Where's my sister?" Adriana asked quickly.

"She's not here," the Joker responded. Adriana was quiet and panic finally began to build in her. He began to walk over to her.

"Where is she?" Adriana asked in a hopeless voice.

"Don't worry. She's being taken to the police station in Gotham right now," he said with his voice sarcastic and mocking. Adriana hung her head as he finally stood in front of her. "She's fine."

"Is she hurt?" Adriana's head jerked up and she looked into his eyes.

"No. I only had her here a few hours. You know, she's nothing like you," the Joker began to talk thoughtfully. "She's fiesty. And she doesn't look like you at all."

"Yeah, we're different," Adriana noticed he was moving even closer even though they were at normal distance for two people standing and speaking. He came close enough so that she could feel his fiery and addictive energy. She shut her eyes and tried to mentally push him away but it was useless. He looked directly into her eyes in the dark as he stood inches from her.

"That wasn't a nice thing to do," the Joker spoke again. "Making me think you were dead. That you'd killed yourself. Not nice at all."

"You would have ended up killing me anyway," Adriana spat. He looked genuinely taken aback.

"Oh?" he said raising his eyebrows.

"You told me you would if I didn't tell you who the Batman was," Adriana wished she hadn't introduced any of this into the conversation. But there was no point in avoiding it. The Joker was shaking his head.

"Well, obviosuly I wouldn't kill you. You'd just tell me who he was," the Joker sang in an up and down tone.

"I wouldn't. Then you would have killed him and it would have been my fault," Adriana said harshly.

"Such a concience," the Joker moved to touch her cheek and look surprised when she jumped in fear. He moved away from her quickly and crossed the room to flip a lightswitch. The glow of the bulb was dim but harsh at the same time. He walked back over to her with his arms crossed.

"Don't act so suprised," Adriana said as he walked back. "The bruise is gone now but I believed you then."

"She's ok, the police have her," Bruce whispered to Adriana who relaxed in relief.

Part 2:

Bruce and Lucius watched and listened in silence. Bruce hadn't know what to expect. He almost expected a tense and angry scene which he would have to jump in and interrupt. But the Joker was so calm and spoke to her in a familiar and tranquil tone that he had never heard from him. Adriana didn't sound afraid at all. Their voices showed that they were clearly no strangers to each other.

Part 3:

"So, I don't deserve you," the Joker said matter-of-factly, as though he'd though this to himself hundred of times. He didn't apologize. "But I guess you've found someone who does." The Joker moved his hand to the opening of her coat and moved the zipper down. Adriana didn't protest as he looked down at her belly. She was confused by his words and almost effortlessly penetrated his thoughts. He assumed that it was someone else's child since her belly appeared to be too small to have been by him. It the child was his she would be around 6 months along and she appeared much smaller.

"Who's child is it?" he asked in curiosity.

"Mine's," Adriana said and quickly zipped her coat. She heard him laugh as she was looking down to move the zipper up.

"So you made a baby all on your own?" he was smiling in amusement. It sent a pleasurable shock through her heart. She looked away from him. "Who's?"

"Your's," Adriana said while looking away from him, wondering if she was making the right decision.

"Mine?" he laughed.

"Yes your's. Due the beginning of December," Adriana started feeling faint. She opened her coat again.

"You have 3 months to go?" he asked in disbelief wondering if remembered accurately how long women were supposed to be pregnant.

"Yes," Adriana replied. "The second thing I wanted to tell you." She saw the muscle in his jaw and he turned away from her.

"Are you lying to me right now?" he asked facing away.

"No. I wish I was," Adriana said to his back. For some reason she wanted to bury her face in it and wrap her arms around his shoulders. She maintained her composure. "I want you to listen to me."

"Fine," he moved a hand to his forhead, still facing the opposite direction.

"You can't take him from me," Adriana said quickly, not planning how to tell him everything.

"Take who?" he said, appearing to be rubbing his eyes.

"My son," Adriana said. "He'll die if you do. At two months old."

"What are you talking about?" he turned to her again, the paint around his eyes appeared freshy wet again and slightly smeared.

"You can't try to make him like you," Adriana was blunt. "He'll never get the chance to make it that far."

"So you're telling me I'll kill him," he sounded disgusted with her.

"Yes. Not on purpose, but yes," Adriana said. He didn't question it. Somehow she knew his inicial though and joy that he would have someone that was completely his and that wouldn't run away like she had. But if the child died, how would he bear the guilt? He then confised himself when he remebered, he didn't feel guilt.

"I want him to live," Adriana continued.

"So you know who the Batman is I assume, if my sources serve me correctly you met him at the police station," the Joker changed the subject harshly, not wanting to feel any emotion.

"I'm not telling you anything," Adriana said in a voice that made him feel like a child. "Please leave him out of this."

"Why are you protecting him so hard?" the Joker's tone changed to fury.

"Because he protected me. I really would have been dead in exactly the way you thought I was if I didn't know him," Adriana said. He cringed slightly at the recollection of hearing about her death.

"You wouldn't have jumped from a bridge," his voice sounded like he was forcing his emotions into numbness.

"I was there and about to jump," Adriana shook her head, and corrected him.

"Why?" he said sounding more like a statement than a question.

"Because I was going to have an abortion after that confrontation with you that night. I felt so guilty," Adriana's eyes felt humid. "He's taken care of me like no one else has. I owe my life and your son's life to him."

He looked at her obsevantly. She looked more alive and healthy thathe had ever seen her before. Her skin was dewy and fresh and her complexion was rich and caramelized from the sun. Even her clothing was immaculate. She took his hand and placed it on the movement. The tiny boy inside of her had been jumping around ever since she had been close to the Joker. He felt awake and energetic. The Joker felt overwhelmed at the idea that he could create this amazing movement and life in someone elese's body.

"She told me that some had to die," Adriana recalled Sidi's haunting words about death being unavoidable. "My son, or someone else."

"So you want me to die?" the Joker moved his band back to himself slowly. He wondered if she had intended to kill him tonight. The thought surprised him and was almost exciting, imaging some crazed violence coming from this glowing and serene angel.

"I want the Joker to die," Adriana said.

He shook his head.

"You can't change me," he groaned. "Or my ways."

"Even if he stays with me after two months," Adriana felt tear rising. "You'll always want to take him. Because he's yours, and eventually you will, and when you do he'll die."

He was silent as he looked her up and down, with his emotions building. The gaze they exchanged said everything they couldn't. He nodded with a blink that sent a tear to his cheek which he wiped away faster than the speed of sound. Adriana walked to him and placed her arms around him like she had been wanting to since she saw him approaching in the dark.

"Thank you," she whispered, then kissed him. The kiss was grave and passionate, but far from romantic. It was a sweetness that was needed to sooth the realization of what he had to do.

"I love you," the words came from his lips so quickly that she was barely able to make out what he said. She didn't ask him to repeat the words. The statement came out, not as a spontaneous and rejoyceful exclamation, but as a serious explanation for him considering to sacrafice his freedom and life.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32:

"Bruce, are you still there?" Adriana asked. She was now driving away from the building and hadn't heard a single word from him.

"Yes," Bruce's voice had a numb tone. "Your sister is okay."

"Why do you sound like that?" Adriana thought his voice should sound full of joy. Ther Joker had let both her and her sister go.

"How do I sound?" the sound of Bruce's vehicle starting came in behind his voice.

"Like something's wrong," Adriana noticed his batmobile parked in the distance as she was driving. He was on the side of the vacant highway waiting for her.

"Nothing's wrong," Bruce said as she pulled in and parked beside him. He was there as the Batman.

"You sure?" Adriana asked him after she left the car.

"I'm sure," his voice echoed as she heard him in person and almost in the same moment in the earphone. "What's he going to do?"

"I'm not certain yet. But we're safe for now," Adriana replied. She saw it in the Joker's eyes that he had no intentions to harm her or his son. However, he realized that it wasn't what he intended that mattered. He realized that he was a danger to them. Bruce was so mute Adriana couldn't help but enter his mind, which she rarely did. He was replaying her closeness to the Joker and hearing them kiss in his mind.

"Do you love him?" Bruce asked. He was always up front and honest, which was why she rarely had to read his mind.

Adriana thought for a long moment. She thought about the Joker, she thought about Bruce. Something in her didn't want to compare anyone to the Joker, but she had to be reasonable for her son's sake. Bruce made her feel so safe and cared for. She wanted to make him feel the same way and she wanted no harm to come to him. She wanted to be with him all of the time and when she was with him she felt warmth and he was more patient with her than anyne had ever been. She never felt in danger in any way. She was firm with her for her own good, but somehow gentle at the same time. Bruce was what she needed in her life and she was no longer feeling undeserving of him because he had convinced her almost daily that she did deserve him. Just when she thought she had all she was entitled to, he came into her life. And from then on her life would never ben complete without him.

In all honesty, when Adriana was away from the Joker she felt relief and could feel perfectly happy to never see him again. She would never beg or want to see him like she did with Bruce. But when she was around him, she was helpless. She had no contol because something in him was too appealing, and nearly a shameful indulgence. He always felt like a dream and though she was constantly begging someone to pinch her, she really didn't want to wake up. He was unaware that his energy and presence minimized the amount of logic she naturally posessed. Adriana never felt completely safe around him and was always on edge but could never back away. He made her completely into an insane fool and she never cared. He never went out of his way to do anything particularly nice for her and neither did she for him. They were both greedy intended to deplete each other wanting just to fulfill and satisfy themselves only. But, she loved him. She was protective didn't want anything to harm him. A bruise or scratch on him always sent her into vengeful fury.

The only that made her see what she really wanted was her realization that she and the Joker could be torn apart. Even though she had suggested going to Brazil or leaving, she would never be able to stay away from Bruce. She felt like she and Bruce were inseparable, while she and the Joker were as intertwined as melting butter attempted to be sewn together.

"I love you, Bruce," Adriana said. She was honest. He literally made her life worth living.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33:

Adriana followed behind the batmobile until she could see Gotham City in the horizon. She reached into her pocket and removed the small piece of paper she had been sure to conceal from the camera. On it was a phone number that she already knew, but the Joker probably assumed that she had forgotten it.

"Bruce?" Adriana spoke, hoping that he could still hear her.

"Yes?" Bruce had made a turn and was no longer in sight.

"The cops probably told my sister that I'm dead," Adriana sighed.

"The didn't. Gordon handled it," Bruce said.

"So can I go and get her?" Adriana asked.

"If you want. But you'll have a lot of explaining to do. And where will you take her?" Bruce wondered.

"I don't know but I want to see her," Adriana was nearing the police station. "Can you contact Gordon? I can't go in there, I'm not disguised. I don't want to make a scene if everyone thinks I'm dead."

"Gotcha," Bruce responded sounding like he was in the middle of something else. "He'll send her out."

"Okay, thank you," Adriana said.

"You're welcome," Bruce said, sounding like he was standing up.

Adriana parked directly across the street from the station wondering how to get her sister's attention when she came out. She say Harri, looking extremely tired, led out by Comissioner Gordon who was looking around for her. Adriana opened the passenger window to wave her sister over. Harri ran across the street and got into the car.

"You're never going to belive what happened! I didn't get arrested okay," Harri explained.

"I already know, you were kidnapped," Adriana pressed the button to close the passenger window after waving to Gordon. Harri was quiet.

"Are you pregnant? Adriana?" Harri looked like she didn't know whether to smile or be shocked.

"Put on your seatbelt," Adriana said, wanting to laugh at her words. After pulling off Harri asked a million questions.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why weren't you home? You got a car? Are you having a boy or a girl? It's Ricard's, right? I didn't see him. Why didn't you tell me? When are you due? Why was that guy looking for you? He kidnapped me to look for you!" Harri's words flooded out.

"Harri, calm down!" Adriana said, realizing she didn't know where to drive to. She couldn't go back home or her neighbors might see and she couldn't take Harri to Wayne Manor. Could she? Or maybe her neighbor's wouldn't see. Wayne Manor was too much to explain.

"Tell me everything," Harri pleaded.

"You tell _me _everything. You were the one who was just kidnapped!" Adriana said, raising her voice.

"Oh yeah. Well it wasn't too bad. It was kind of exciting actually. I couldn't tell the police who he was since he was masked the whole time. He just kept asking me where you are and I told him I didn't know, I haven't seen you in months. Then they blindfolded me and took me to the police," Harri sounded excited. "Now answer my questions!"

"Okay, fine Harri. But there's a lot you have to understand okay?" Adriana said, sofly. She saw Harri nodding seriously in the corner of her eye.

"I was in danger for a long time, that's why I couldn't contact you," Adriana talked while focusing on the road.

"So that's why he was looking for you," Harri said understanding.

"Yes. So that's why I couldn't call you or anything to tell you I was pregnant. I had to pretend I was dead for a long time. All my neighbors and the police think that I'm dead. But he found out I wasn't so that's why he kidnapped you," Adriana explained. She glanced at Harri, who looked perplexed.

"It was so bad you had to pretend you were dead? Who was that? The people that kidnapped me?" Harri looked scared.

"Don't worry, its over okay. You're safe." Adrianaput her hand on Harri's.

"Why do they care if you're dead or alive?" Harri asked shakily.

"Someone wanted to use me to find out someone's identity. A criminal," Adriana sighed.

"What criminal? How did they know about that?"

"I can't tell you Harri, okay?"

Harri nodded.

"So.." Harri wanted more information. "You got a car."

"Yeah, this isn't mines. I'm borrowing it."

"Where are you staying?" Harri asked.

"Someone's nice enough to protect me and he let me stay with him for a while," Adriana replied.

"Is he the father?" Harri inquired.

"No," Adriana looked away. "I'm taking you to a hotel. I'll pay for it okay?"

"So it's Ricard's?" Harri sounded like she was making a statement.

"No," Adriana stopped at a red light.

"Then who?" Harri looked overcome with curiosity. "And why all of a sudden aren't you in danger anymore?"

"Harri," Adriana looked at her sister. "I can't tell you."

"So you're still in danger?" Harri sighed.

She wasn't in danger. She didn't know how her sister would respond if she told her the Joker was her child's father and that he was the one who had kidnapped her.

"No, Harri," Adriana said beginning to get impatient.

"Tell her it's me," Bruce's voice resonated in her ear. Adriana wondered if it was her imagination but then remembered the earpiece. "But nothing more." Adriana squeezed her eyes shut.

"So why can't you tell me anything?" Harri whined. "Not even who's the father of your child."

"His name is Bruce," Adriana pulled off when the light turned green.

"Bruce who?" Harri asked. "You really did break up with Ricard. I'm glad you did."

"It's okay, you can tell her," Bruce spoke.

"Bruce Wayne," Adriana looked away. Harri looked like she was trying to remember the name that sounded so familiar. Them passing by Wayne Enterprises at that exact moment assisted her recollection.

"Wayne Enterprises, Wayne?" Harri frowned.

"Yes," Adriana drove faster.

"He's protecting you?" Harri said softly.

"Harri, you can't tell anyone," Adriana looked at Harri seriously.

"I won't, I swear."

"Thanks," Adriana replied. If anything, Harri could keep a secret. She was a fireproof titanium safe. "I'm having a boy, he's due December first."

Harri shrieked.

"A boy? I'm going to spoil him!" Harri exclaimed, thinking of everything she would buy.

"Harri, please, just remember. Everyone in Gotham thinks I'm dead and I can't come back from the dead so you can't tell anyone anything. Please. Not even about me and Bruce, okay?" Adriana pleaded.

"I won't tell anyone a single thing I promise. But, how are you going to live? Be in hiding forever? I mean..your kid's father is kind of high profile. I'm sure he can afford to hide you forever but is that what you want?" Harri's questions were profound.

"I don't know Harri. It's not like I had much of a life to begin with," Adriana said. Harri made a noise in agreement. Adriana had arrived at the downtown hotel. "Here," Adriana began to look in her bag to see if her unused wallet was there. She hoped there was money in it before she snapped it open. Harri gasped at the thick stack of bills in 2 gold clasps. Everything in the purse was new and packed by Alfred before she left. He was always a step ahead. Adriana struggled for a few seconds to remove the clasp from the first stack which appeared to be all hundreds. She rolled her eyes gave up after one try and handed Harri the entire stack. Harri laughed.

"When can I see you? Tomorrow?" Harri asked.

"I don't know Harri. I'll call you okay? It might be a while," Adriana said. "I'll call you every day alright?"

"Okay. Well I'm just glad to know you're alright," Harri said and leaned over to kiss Adriana on the cheek.

"I love you, Harri."

"I love you too."


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Part 1:

"Beautiful progress!" Dr. Nathan was impressed once again with Adriana's rapid progression as she reached 28 weeks. "Only two months to go!"

Bruce attened this appointment with her and seemed more pleased than Dr. Nathan as he watched the ultrasound. He didn't notice Adriana's obilivion to everything in the room but him. She watched him and his dark features fascinated.

The weeks sped by and the city of Gotham became suddenly calm. There was speculation that the Joker had been killed by the mob, thus his abrupt disspearance. Adriana forced herself daily to not worry and busied herself with helping set up a nursery for her son. Bruce insisted as often as he could that Adriana stay as long as possible. However, one evening after Bruce had returned to the city for the night, Adriana couldn't fight her suspicion any longer. She decided to call the Joker, hoping that she had remembered the right keys to block the number. She considered hanging up after hearing the ring tone twice. She sat on the edge of the tub in the bathroom with the door locked and moved her finger to end the call, when his baritone vibrated on the porcelain and tile.

"Yeah?" he sounded aggrivated, as though someone had previously called him multiple times.

"Hi," Adriana said quietly in a whisper, though she was sure no one could hear her. He was silent for several moments and Adriana looked at the phone twice to make sure it was still connected.

"Yeah," he said again, calmer.

"Hi," Adriana said again, feeling stupid but not knowing what else to say.

"You need something?" his voice sounded exhausted.

"No," she said, beginning to feel like an annoyance to him. She leaned foreward on the tub and rested her forehead in her palm. "Where are you? I mean, where are you staying?"

"Are you coming to see me?" he said with an amused smile in his voice. Adriana wasn't used to talking with him over the phone. The sound of his voice gave her eerie but pleasant butterflies.

"Can I?" Adriana asked.

"Fine," the Joker told her where her was. The last building on Avenue X. Adriana wondered where Avenue X ended.

"Could you keep talking?" the question excaped Adriana's mouth.

"What for? If you're trying to trace me I gave you the right address," the Joker replied sounding careless. His assumption was offensive.

"Because I want to hear you talk," Adriana sighed, exasperated.

"I don't have anything to talk about," his voice sounded almost apologetic.

"Tell me about where you are right now. Why are you there?" Adriana wondered.

"You'll see it for yourself when you get here," he replied dismissively.

Part 2:

It was a great coincidence and relief when Alfred left Adriana alone for the entire day. He and Bruce were living the city for two whole days, which they hadn't done since Adriana had come to stay. Adriana got a vauge image from Bruce's mind that informed her that they were going to Thailand. She had no interest in why.

When they were gone she decided immidiately to find where that last building was on Avenue X. The street started at city hall and went east from the city. It was a long street and Adriana wanted to turn around and forget the entire ordeal when she realized she was approaching the city dump. She changed her mind when she noticed a small building several yards off of the road. It appeared abandoned, which didn't surprise her at all. What did surprise her was that half of the building was gone. She entered the building through a side door since the steps at the front door looked far from stable.

When she was inside she realized how much she hated it that the Joker didn't have a name so she didn't know how to call out for him. Then again, he did have a name, he just didn't remember what it was. Mr. H. Adriana shook her head and decided to call him, once again blocking the number. He answered the phone wordlessly

"I don't know if I'm in the right place," Adriana said softly.

"You are, I heard you come in. Come upstairs," the Joker said.

"Okay," Adriana stayed on the phone as she looked for the stairs which looked much less dangerous than the ones in the front of the building. She hung up when she saw him sitting on a small table on the second floor. There was no wall in front of him since part of the building was missing. He appeared to be staring out into the distance. The view was nothing more than the downward slope of a hill, covered in lots of litter. The room was cold in the fall air and the wind was blowing generously. He looked over his shoulder as his gaze was taken almost immediately by her belly which appeared to have doubled in size in the last month. He moved his eyes back to her face and then looked out into the trash covered horizon again.

"So do you come here to watch the garbage?" Adriana joked.

"You asked where I'm staying. I told you," he said, not looking away from the base of the hill.

"You can't possible be staying here," Adriana laughed but then stopped when she realized he might have been.

"Why not?" he looked at her again with a frown.

"Um, where the hell would you sleep?" Adriana looked around seeing nothing but rubble and the table in the middle of the room.

"Here," he tapped the table.

"You're joking, right?" Adriana looked at his exhausted profile. The room was open to the elements and he had no blankets or clothes. Not a single personal belonging was to be found in this crumbling place. He was quiet and looked like he had completely ignored her question. Adriana walked over next to him and lifted herself to sit on the table beside him.

"Are you cold?" she asked.

"No," he answered truthfully.

"I am," she said, with her voice sounding sad.

"Then why are you here?" he looked into her eyes.

"That's a good question, since no one should be in this inhabitable shack," Adriana started. He rolled his eyes and looked away. "I wanted to ask you something."

"What?" he looked interested. Adriana looked down at her belly and felt her son waking up. She placed a hand on his barely noticible movements.

"I want you to be there," Adriana said, moving her hand to follow her son's lightly kicking foot.

"Be where?" he asked, perplexed. "I don't know about that," he said in the next moment, as he understood.

"Why not?" Adriana looked at the hill and noticed a possum.

"The won't let me into the hospital," he said, relived that he could come up with an excuse so quickly.

"It won't be in the hospital. I have my own doctor," Adriana explained.

"The Batman got you your own doctor?" the Joker asked, impressed.

"Yes. He takes care of everything," Adriana started, but the Joker let out an irritated cough that made her change the subject back. "Anyway, I want you there."

"I'll think about it."

"No, you're coming," Adriana ordered. He looked at her with a small look of surprise.

"Fine," he shrugged. His appearance was calm but Adriana could see in his mind that he was almost terrified. He had never expected to witness his son being born.

"Don't worry," Adriana said wrapping and arm around him. The small amount of heat that he could feel from her seemed to awaken his senses and made him realize how cold he was.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35:

Part 1:

"So you and he," the Joker began to talk again after a long silence. "Good friends?"

"Yeah," Adrianna didn't want to go into detail.

"Since when?" the Joker asked.

"Since.." Adriana thought. "I've known him since the day after I discharged from the institution." The words flowed out before Adriana could think of how to explain. She looked at him and saw his brows frown in confusion then looked away quickly.

"What?" he asked, finally.

Adriana was quiet.

"So I suppose you're more than good friends, huh?" he let out an unsettling short laugh.

It was true. Adriana said nothing. He frowned again when he thought of something else.

"Why didn't you just run away? Aren't you a millionare?" he asked. "You could have covered your tracks."

"What?" Adriana wondered out loud.

"You had a check for $10 million," he reminded her. "How do you make that kind of money? From the police department?"

"Look, I don't want to get into all that-" Adriana protested.

"You might as well tell me. I don't care anymore," he spoke over her.

Adriana had to agree. He didn't care about anything, but it was different this time. He had never cared about anything before, even his own life, but he was enthusiatic and free in his carelessness. He seemes to appretiate it in dangerous ways. But now it seemed he didn't care that he was carefree. He didn't put an ounce of effort into his own comfort in this cold, crumbling building.

"The Batman gave me the check," Adriana sighed out.

"Why?" he asked in interest. "Come clean." He smiled.

"He wanted me to work for him," Adriana's voice was quiet and her face serious.

"Doing what?" the Joker wanted to laugh but then remembered her gifts. Adriana nodded. "Interesting," he said in his realization. Adriana prayed that he wouldn't pry any deeper, but he did.

"Did it have anything to do with me?" he asked about the job.

"Had everything to do with you. But I told him it was useless and that you couldn't be stopped whether or not he knew how you got those scars-" Adriana's voice paused when she saw his facial expression.

"Did you tell him?" he asked sounding both interested and bored at the same time.

"It took a long time, but yes."

"So he knows," the Joker looked at her. His eyes looked dead.

"Yes, he knows. Do you want to know?" Adriana asked, knowing that he didn't even remember how he had gotten the scars. The Joker rolled his eyes depressively then massaged the back of his neck with his right hand.

"No," he said seriously. "Is that how this started?"

Adriana sank into his mind. He was thinking of her as that dark angel that night in the city.

"No," Adriana's voice trailed off as she remembered. "I wanted you. That's how this started."

"Did you tell him before or after?" he was taking advantage of her ability to know what he was thinking.

"After..." she said carefully. His laughter erupted so quicly it frightened her.

"So you went back to him and told him everything about me _after _you had been with me, you sneaky woman," he stopped laughing quickly. "He knew all along."

"He didn't know anything until I after I was going to kill myself," Adriana felt the urge to cry as she remembered that night.

"I'm suprised he didn't kill you," he laughed again. "Or used you as some kind of bait for me."

"Would it have worked?" Adriana asked.

"Yes," his face was serious again. Adriana broke eye contact with him, willing herself to not be weak and run back to him. "So he accepted you. Just like that. Protected you and is taking care of you. Just like that."

"Yes," Adriana could never run away from a man so wonderful. The Joker's words made her realize how lucky she was. "I love him."

Part 2:

When Adriana arrrived back to Wayne Manor that night she immediately called Bruce. The phone rang three times but it felt like an eternity. Her heart beat loudly and she held the phone nervously.

"Why?" Adriana wondered why calling him left her in this condition. She missed him so much already.

"What what?" Bruce sounded like he was smiling on the other end of the line.

"Nothing," Adriana said quickly, smiling too. "How's Thailand?"

"I almost asked how you knew we were in Thailand," Bruce laughed. Adriana was glad he couldn't see her closing her eyes to savor his voice. "We've finished business here quicker than expected so we should be back in the morning."

"The doorbell just rang," Adriana said to Bruce.

"It's Lucius," Bruce said back. Adriana breathed a quiet sigh of relief that she had gotten back in time. She didn't want to explain going into the city. "Checking up on you." Adriana began to walk to the door, not wanting to hang up the phone after such a brief moment of talking to him. Bruce promised to call her again that evening.

"You look nice," Adriana said noticing that Lucius looked more polished than normal, which before now she wasn't sure was even possible.

"I have a meeting soon," he explained lightly. "You look ripe." They laughed.

Lucius and Adriana sat talked so long that Adriana was sure he had missed whatever meeting he had to attend.

"What time is the meeting?" Adriana finally asked.

"Whenever I want it to be," Lucius explained mysteriously.

"I want to ask you something serious," Adriana folded her hands to keep them from shaking. But Lucius seemed able to handle anything she threw at him so she relaxed.

"What is it?" he asked sipping his coffee.

"What would you say if I told you I want him there when his son is born?" Adriana looked down.

"He's the father," Lucius shrugged. "Suppose that's normal."

"What would you say if I told you I asked him to be there?" Adriana looked up again, then back down at her hands quickly. She saw Lucius sitting his cup off coffee down slowly in her peripheral vision.

"Did you?" he said calmly. Adriana nodded.

"He won't hurt us," Adriana cradled herself in both arms.

"So he's still alive, huh?" Lucius picked up the coffee again. Adriana wondered how he was taking this so lightly. "If you're so sure he has no intentions to hurt you then why do you seem so worried?"

"I'm worried about him," Adriana felt pathetic speaking about the man who had killed likely thousands of people. Lucius just sipped his coffee. "He's numb. I mean, he actually seemed relieved when I told him the Batman was protecting me and that I love him."

"He's done," Lucius understood.

"Done what?" Adriana didn't. She could read his thoughts but couldn't analyze them. She was no psychologist.

"He's welcome here when you give birth," Lucius said standing, apparently ready to leave.

"Done what?" Adriana asked again.

"Just focus on yourself and your little one for now, Adriana," Lucius said, squeezing Adriana's hand affectionately before leaving.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36:

The weeks came and went and Adriana had promised Lucius that she would tell Bruce about her invitation to the Joker. She had every intention of fulfilling this promise but before she knew it, it was Thanksgiving and her due date was only seven days away. Julia had prepared an elaborate feast and Adriana asked Julia if she would be spending the holiday with her own family because she felt bad that Julia was working tirelessly.

"Viven en Guatemala!" Julia exclaimed, telling Adriana that her family was in Guatemala. Julia was happy to spend Thanksgiving with them. The evening was calm and intimate. Alfred and Julia had a Spanglish conversation for hours about the economy, which was hilarious since they had both been drinking. It was nearly 4 am when Adriana finally went to bed. She was exhausted but couldn't sleep and soon found herself wandering the warm halls of Wayne Manor to Bruce's room. His door was ajar and he sat on his bed typing away on a laptop. Adriana tapped the door lightly which made it open and Bruce waved her in.

"Happy Thanksgiving," Bruce said after Adriana had gotten under the covers.

"It's Black Friday now," she replied, feeling tiny but strong and impatient arms and legs moving in her lower abdomen. "What are you working on?"

"It would bore you," Bruce assured. "You seem a little preoccupied."

"Huh?" Adriana asked sleeplily, with half of her face buried in the memory foam pillow.

"Something bothering you?" Bruce stopped typing and looked down at her. Her eyes were closed.

"Yeah," she muffled. Bruce started typing again slowly.

"Next week?" he asked, facing his computer screen.

"Mhm," Adriana said into the pillow. "He's coming."

"He sure is," Bruce said in a motone voice, looking distracted by whatever he was typing.

"His father is coming," Adriana said closing her eyes and feeling her eyelashes move against the pillowcase. "I invited him."

Bruce didn't say anything and then began typing again.

"What are you talking about?" he asked several minutes later, thinking maybe she had fallen asleep.

"Lucius said it was okay," Adriana's words slurred and she began dozing.

Adriana felt the bed rise and grow cooler as Bruce stood up and left the room. He was gone for the night.

The next morning Adriana skipped breakfast to avoid Bruce who she knew was still in the house. His frantic thoughts penetrated and danced around in her short amount of sleep. The dancing had stopped but his worries were still there in the morning even after he had talked to Lucius who assured him he had nothing to worry about.

Adriana took a long hot shower and prolonged it to avoid going downstairs to be hassled by Bruce's worry and distrust. Avoiding it wouldn't help anything, Adriana finally decided as she turned off the shower which had finally turned cold. She stood in the tub for a few moments to gather herself and almost felt like she could fall asleep standing up, since she had only gotten three hours of sleep the previous night. She let her eyes close and allowed senseless dreamlike thoughts to fill her head and was awakened a few seconds later by the sensation of a large amount of warm water come from inside of her and splash onto her feet. Her eyes opened instantly and she was momentarily confused as she watched the surprise flood of water flow down into the drain.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37:

Adriana stepped out of the water shakily and threw on her robe. She paced the bedroom a few times not knowing what to do next but her worries were halted when the first contraction brought her to her knees at the edge of the bed. When it was over she waited a few minutes then reached for her cell phone that she kept tucked in Bruce's end table.

"Yeah?" the Joker spoke on the first ring.

"Why do you answer the phone like that?" Adriana said sounding out of breath.

"Like what?" he asked, sounding like he didn't really care what she meant.

"Like, you might as well be saying 'What the hell do you want'," Adriana said sharply.

"What's with you?" he sounded annoyed sick.

"I'm-" Adriana's voice shut off in the midst of another beginning contraction. She breathed hard wishing she could somehow remove herself from her body and this unimaginable pain. She looked at the alarm clock and noticed that the previous contraction had just happened six minutes ago.

"Damn you sound like a raging bull," the Joker sounded like he was being entertained.

"I'm having contractions," Adriana spat. "I can't do it, it feels like death."

He was mute.

"Hello?" Adriana asked, impatiently.

"Yeah?" he said finally in a low voice.

"Say something!" Adriana said loudly, hoping she would have six more minutes of peace before the next contraction. She had never appreciated minutes so much in her life.

"What do you want me to say? You're giving me all this attitude," he sighed like he wanted to hang up the phone.

"I'm not giving you attitude!" Adriana heard the fury in her voice. "Okay, I'm sorry. But you did this to me."

"I know," he sounded sad.

"Come over," Adriana prayed for the last two minutes of calm to somehow extend into forever.

"He there?"

"Yes," Adriana replied. "It doesn't matter though. You need to be here."

"He's going to be there the whole time?"

"YES," Adriana's voice strained as an even stronger squeezing arrived. She thought it couldn't get any worse than the first two but somehow it did. She began to cry into the phone. A few seconds later she could feel his discomfort from her audible wailing.

"I can't," he said, sounding like he wanted to run away.

"Why not?" Adriana said. "You have the easy job here."

"I have to think about it," the answer came from him quickly.

"I'll call you back, okay?" Adriana sighed, dissapointed.

"Mhm," he hung up instantly.

Adriana looked at her phone and dialed another number.

"Hello?" Lucius answered promptly.

"Hey," Adriana said, eyeing the clock.

"I'm downstairs, you know," Lucius said calmly.

"I know.."

"I'll be right back," Adriana heard Lucius speaking to Bruce and Alfred. A few seconds later she heard a door shut.

"Everything all right?" his voice soothed.

"I'm in labor."

"Well that's wonderful, should I call Doctor Nathan?" Lucius sounded excited.

"Yeah."

"You don't sound very thrilled," Lucius' statement sounded like a question. Adriana explained the Joker's indecisiveness.

"Would you like me to talk with him?" the offer nearly made Adriana jump out of her skin.

"You would do that?" she beamed.

"Of course," Lucius said, then asked for the number which Adriana spilled quickly from memory.

"Noooo..." Adriana cried as another pain crept in.

"I'll call Doctor Nathan first," Lucius kept perfectly composed.

Bruce arrived at the door seconds after Lucius ended the call. He looked panicked.

"You're in labor now? Why are you up here like this?" Bruce sounded mildly angry as he lifted Adriana from the floor. "Nathan will be here in a few minutes. Are you okay?"

Adriana didn't have time to answer any of Bruce's questions because the doctor arrived at the speed of lighting. He had Adriana in a hospital gown and was feeling for how much she had dilated in a matter of minutes.

"Five centimeters," he said proudly. "You will be ready to deliver in a couple hours I expect." He then hooked her up to an IV. Whatever was in it made her pains milder and caused her to feel slightly sleepy.

Adriana wasn't sure how long she had slept but when she woke again she was already sitting upright from the magnitude of the pain. She haunched herself over and lifted herself up by pressing her hands flat into the mattress and squeezed her eyes tight. Bruce's voice eased her mind but her body felt as though it was working up a storm. The pain faded and Adriana laid down and rolled over to her side facing the window away from Bruce. She felt drained and was ready to have this process over with. She closed her eyes and opened them again when she felt a slight panic in Bruce's mind. The emotion she got from him faded as pain rippled through her again. She was curled tightly into fetal position and the sounds of her own desperate and barbaric cries yanked at her heart. When she opened her eyes again she saw Lucius and the Joker standing near her.

Her body seemed to sit up on it's own instantly. The Joker had an overwhelming look of guilt and Adriana saw herself in his mind, curled up and sobbing in pain. She turned quickly to Bruce who was gripping the arm rests of his chair so tightly that his knuckles looked as though they would tear through the skin. He looked ready to pounce at any moment. Adriana looked at the Joker calmly, wanting him to know that everything was okay. She managed a weak smile.

He didn't even seem to notice Bruce at all. His attention was completely focused on Adriana. He glanced for an instant in Bruce's direction. His thought's were of surprise. Bruce Wayne? The Batman? The Joker couldn't believe it at first but it made sense. He was one of the few people in Gotham that could afford to be the Batman. But his persona, at least in the public eye, didn't seem to fit at all. The Joker thought of the Batman as serious and hard. Focused and determined and aware. Bruce Wayne had always seemed like a careless lucky heir. He seemed completely harmless to the Joker. He looked Bruce up and down and couldn't believe that this man, who had always seemed nothing more than an aloof pretty-boy could be the Batman.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38:

"Come here." She motioned the Joker over to her and he approached slowly. Bruce's eye's flickered quickly back and forth from the Joker's to Lucius'. Lucius walked over to Bruce to calm him.

"Sit down," the Joker was instructed by Adriana and he sat obediently on a chair on the opposite side of Bruce. Stronger contractions began moments after he sat down and Adriana was relieved to see Dr. Nathan enter the room again.

"I can administer an epidural whenever you are ready," the doctor said peacfully but spoke loudly over Adriana's moans of pain.

"Please," she heaved, "I can't take it anymore."

"Absolutely," Dr. Nathan said, "Please just sit up straight and turn around. I'll be back shortly." He left the room quickly with a nurse Adriana hadn't even noticed was there. She sat and slowly rotated her body towards the Joker and let her feet hang over the side of the bed. She placed the bottoms of her feet on the top of his left thigh and soon after felt Bruce's thoughts. He wondered why she chose to face away from him and towards the Joker. He pushed the thoughts aside quickly. They were all quiet as Dr. Nathan came back into the room. Adriana heard the sounds of him sitting things down on the bed behind her and giving the nurse instructions. About a minute later she heard a mental shock from Bruce as he looked at the size of the needle the doctor was preparing.

"If you don't mind sir," the doctor spoke from behind Adriana and looked down at her feet on the Joker's legs in comfort and decided that he was the right person to ask, "Please stand for a moment and help her maintain stillness while I administer the injection."

"Okay," the Joker spoke for the first time since arriving. Adriana moved her feet from his legs and let them swing and he stood in front of her. Bruce felt helpless and left out for a few moments but was then distracted by the needle which appeared big enough to tranquilize an elephant.

"You must remain perfectly still," Doctor Nathan reminded her. He had told her all about the process in previous visits. Adriana looked up at the Joker who appeared calm but then raised his eyebrows as he saw the size of the needle in the reflection of Dr. Nathan's glasses. "Perfectly still."

He sterilized the area where he was going to inject thoroughly but quickly and gave the Joker and Adriana notice that he was about to proceed. Adriana felt the movements of another contraction and squeezed her eyes shut. Her body began to cringe to the left in pain but the Joker quickly and firmly placed both hands on her shoulders and stilled her before she could move. Docton Nathan gave him a quick nod of gratitude as he administered the epidural. He sat the needle down when he was done and the nurse carried the instruments away.

"Is it done?" Adriana asked when the contraction faded. The Joker's thoughts were full of surprise that she apparently hadn't felt the enormous needle.

"All done," Dr. Nathan said proudly, then looked at the Joker's mild shock. "The pain of the epidural needle into the spine is apparently nothing compared to the pain of contractions, so some women don't even feel it." The Joker nodded, understanding.

Adriana was soon after very happily numb from the waist down.

"Are you comfortable with everyone here to stay during the delivery?" Dr. Nathan checked with Adriana. She looked around the room and saw Lucius standing by Bruce, who's tense nerves hadn't relaxed at all. Alfred stood by the door perfectly silent, shocked and perplexed by the Joker's presence. Dr. Nathan stood at her side and the nurse stood near Alfred. The Joker had resumed sitting and was the only person on her right side. She faced him and smiled.

"Yeah, everything's perfect," her pain and agony had turned into joy and excitement.

Dr. Nathan confirmed that she was 10cm fully dilated and ready to push. She was unsure of how had to push since she could feel nothing, but decided to push as hard as she could. The pushing made her tired quickly and she felt like giving up or taking a break several times but the doctor kept coaching and encouraging her to continue. The process was draining and Adriana began to feel like it would never end. After each push she wondered if she could gather enough energy and strength for another.

"One more big push," Dr. Nathan said sounding excited which left Adriana finally happy that this great amount of work was almost done. She gave it her all and hoped that this really was the last push. Her hopes were confirmed when she saw Dr. Nathan's arms moving around and at last removing the baby. Adriana looked up with joy as the doctor held the baby up for a split second and then laid him in front of her. She sat up and looked down and watched the nurse quickly suctioning fluids from the boy's nose and mouth and lightly massaging his chest as he finally wailed. Dr. Nathan was working on cutting the cord that dangled from his tiny belly. He lifted the baby again and handed him to Adriana. She looked at him in amazement. Everyone around looked in awe at the miniature arms that flailed around and the tiny kicking feet. He was full of energy and life. The Joker looked at him in admiration and marvel.

"Wow," he said in a weak and stunned voice.

Dr. Nathan took him again to clean him and wrap him in a blanket. The nurse intructed Adriana to do a few more gentle pushes to remove whatever was left. Adriana looked to Bruce who looked at her in overwhelming appreciation. He leaned down and kissed her forehead and face several times before the doctor came back with the baby who was now wrapped up in a soft pale blue blanket. All of the tension and worry was gone from the room as they all admired him as he moved in adorable frustration in his blanket. His skin gradually began to turn to a fairly normal color and he opened his eyes to reveal a shimmering, confusing but beautiful blend of gray and golden hazel. It was immediately noticible to them all that except for the eye color, he was a tiny mirror image of his father.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39:

Lucius walked over to Adriana who let him cradle the boy for a few minuted before Alfred, almost impatiently, asked for his turn. Alfred then handed him to Bruce who was giddy with glee. Soon after the room quieted and everyone left except for Bruce and the Joker.

The nurse, who Adriana later learned was named Adriana too, helped her shower about and three hours after her son was born when her epidural wore off. Adriana was somewhat tense about leaving Bruce and the Joker alone but then decided things were safe when she noticed they both looked infinitely more exhausted than she felt. When they returned to the room, the two men looked half asleep but still aware of their surroundings. They hadn't exchanged any words. Adriana sat on the bed and leaned against the thick wall of pillows and asked the nurse for her son who had fallen asleep in a transparent crib across the room. When she had him in her arms he woke up and stared at her with surpising alert. The Joker rose and stood next to her slightly leaning on the bed while looking at his son. Bruce leaned foreward in his chair and watched them.

"Can I hold him again?" Bruce asked.

Adriana started to answer him but paused when she felt the Joker's thoughts. He was thinking of how he had felt about being invited here by Adriana. He was sure no one else wanted him around. The baby in his mind had been Adriana's and he knew he would soon be pushed away. But when Bruce asked if he could hold the baby, his look flickered back and forth from the two. He wasn't asking Adriana if he could hold her son. He was asking them both if he could hold _their _son.

"Yes," Adriana smiled and Bruce stood. He leaned over her and carefully took the baby. His body swayed and he murmured sweetly to the alert little boy. He wandered around the room holding him.

"Thank you," Adriana whispered to the Joker.

"For what?" he whispered back, unsure of why they had to whisper.

"For coming. For giving me a beautiful child," Adriana answered.

"No," the Joker, still whispering, shook his head, "You did all the work. You did a good job."

"Thanks," Adriana said, noticing the Joker was watching Bruce cradling the baby. He fell asleep again and Bruce laid him gently in his crib.

The sun had gone down and the moon illuminated the corner of the room where the baby's crib sat. Bruce returned to his chair and squeezed Adriana's hand affectionately. Sleep came like a thief as the three of them dozed off nearly simultaneously. Adriana felt the presense of Dr. Nathan appear and leave several times in the night as he checked on the baby. Bruce and the Joker both had dreamless sleep in their chairs. Confusing thoughts woke Adriana at dawn. She realized they were her son's thoughts. Ever since her gift had been weakened and made selective, Adriana hadn't attempted to read the thoughts of children, especially babies. The thoughts were normally senseless, bold, instinctive and confusing, like her son's were now. She crept from her bed and quietly crossed the room to him. He was awake and looking around. Adriana picked him up and tried to make sense of his thoughts. He was looking for something. Something that he had seen before and wanted again. His memory was vauge at first but then became clear. He was looking for his father.

Adriana turned around to see the Joker waking up, nearly forgetting where he was when he opened his eyes.

"Come here," Adriana whispered, not wanting to wake Bruce, who was sleeping with his head tilted back and lips parted. The Joker stood, stretched lightly, and walked over to her.

"Hm?" he said softly.

"Do you want to hold him?" Adriana asked, realizing he hadn't held him yet. In that moment the baby caught a glimpse of the Joker in a fold in his blanked and began to move his tiny arms and feet hastily. He made tiny sounds indicating he was about to cry before he let out a wail that finally woke Bruce.

"I don't know," the Joker replied over the baby's cry.

"I think he wants you too," Adriana almost laughed at her son's thoughts. He wanted his father but couldn't figure out how to get to him. He didn't think to reach for him or move in his direction. The only thing he could do to let out his frustration was cry.

"He's crying," the Joker said.

"Yeah, babies cry," Adriana said moving the baby toward's the Joker who cautiously reached out his arms. Surprisingly the baby's cries stopped as soon as he was in his father's arms. Adriana stood back and watched the Joker who was instantly absorbed. He paced slowly with the baby and walked over to the window where the sun allowed him to see the baby's tiny face. Adriana saw his thoughts of being in a dream. He couldn't believe that this baby was here, and neither could Adriana. She stared at the baby and wondered how this tiny perfection could have come to be.

Adriana had a sudden flashback as she wondered. Sometimes she could see into her own forgotten past, which most of the time made her uncomfortable.

_"You took a longgg time," Adriana said, happily buzzed from wine, to the Joker who had appeared at her house on a brisk night._

_ "It's eight," he said, in a distracted voice as he noticed the sparkling blue party dress she was wearing. "Going somewhere?"_

_ "No," she said standing and turned on her stereo._

_ "So why are you dressed like that?" he asked, sitting a large briefcase on her kitchen table._

_ "Because I wanna dance," Adriana began to dance alone to a soulful blues song that sounded familiar._

_ "Mhm," the Joker said dismissively. He walked over to her and began to unzip her dress, despite her dancing._

_ "Nooo.." Adriana pleaded turning around to him. "Come on, I wanna dance."_

_ He raised an eyebrow and gave her a humorless and serious look of stern authority which made her feel silly and childish for even asking. He crossed the room and cut off the two lights. Adriana turned around, dissapointed, and faced the dark window and reached to lower the zipper on her dress._

_ A few second's later she felt his gentle grasp on her hands that were searching for the zipper. He pushed them away so that her arms hung at her sides. Unexpectedly, he wrapped an arm around her waist from behind, pulled her close and began to sway with the music in perfect rhythm._

The night their son was conceived, Adriana knew it.

The Joker's thoughts were heavy as he looked at his son in his arms. He knew that Adriana could feel his dense emotions. He wanted no harm to ever come to his son. The baby was so innocent and fragile. He wanted his life to be perfect. He never wanted anyone to lie to him, hurt him, or cause him harm. He wanted his son to be happy forever and to never know pain. Of couse, none of this was possible in the real world. The boy looked exactly like him, but perfect and untouched. He wanted the baby but knew that he would eventually cause him harm because he could never change. He could never provide safety and Joker rotated slowly to Adriana but then looked past her to see Bruce, who looked a little surprised to the the Joker holding the baby.

There was a soft knock at the open door and Lucius entered with his look fixated on the Joker.

"I should be going," the Joker said to Adriana but looking into his son's hazel eyes.

"Oh," Adriana said weakly, realizing that both the Joker and Lucius were being careful to not think of something. But they both faltered. Bruce, who was now wide awake, stretched his arms up in the air.

"No-," Adriana began to talk.

"Shhh.." Lucius walked over to her and took her hand's comfortingly.

Adriana watched silently as Bruce stood, wondering what was going on. The Joker finally walked away from the brightness of the window, still carrying the baby. He stared down at his son the entire time he crossed the room but appeared to know exactly where he intended to walk. He went around the bed savoring each second intensely before placing the child in Bruce's arms.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40:

Part 1:

Adriana followed Lucius and the Joker into the hallway.

"This is really stupid," Adriana said to their backs. They both paused and exchanged a look before Lucius nodded and whispered that he would be outside to the Joker, who turned to Adriana.

"You want him to be safe, don't you?" the Joker said, indicating the baby.

"Of course," Adriana rolled her eyes.

"Then I gotta go," he explained."What I bring to the table, at the end of the day, long story short, isn't safety."

"Yeah," Adriana said, not knowing what else to say to accept the obvious.

"Yeah," the Joker said quickly and left before she could say more.

"Where'd they go off to?" Bruce asked Adriana when she returned. He was still holding the baby, rocking and talking to him even though his was asleep.

"Police," Adriana sighed before sitting on the bed and running a hand across her forehead.

Dr. Nathan entered the room then to talk to Adriana, who dazed off in frustration and didn't listen to his words. She nodded every now and then to appear attentive but Bruce did most of the listening.

"If you intend to breastfeed, I would suggest that you start today," Dr. Nathan was in the middle of a long speech. "I would also reccomend that you abstain from any sexual activity for at least six weeks. Please stay hydrated, you had no complications, but I want to make sure you are completely healthy.."

Adriana could only half listen as she thought of the Joker's thinking that the only way he could keep his son safe was to turn himself in to the police. He had excaped several times before, but now he had reason to stay.

Part 2:

The following days, Adriana slept on a couch in her son's nursery avoiding people and the news as much as possible. She spend every minute around him, sometimes staring at him sleeping for hours. He slept constantly, so much that she had to wake him to feed him. When he was awake, he would stare back at her until he became bored and decided to go back to sleep.

"He's going to become spoiled," Bruce whispered to Adriana constantly. "You should let him sleep alone or he won't be able to sleep without you around."

"He doesn't know yet. He's only four days old," Adriana reasoned.

"Yeah, speaking of which," Bruce said before sitting on the couch next to Adriana. "You should name him."

"I don't know what to name him," Adriana wondered out loud, wishing that naming him Perfect Angel wouldn't be looked at as strange according to popular opinion.

"Name him after you," Bruce suggested.

"Adrian?" Adriana liked the name. "I like it."

"Me too," Bruce stood up and pulled on one of Adriana's arms. "He'll be fine if you don't sleep in here."

Adriana thew herself face down onto Bruce's bed and extended both arms and legs as far as they could go, remembering how good it felt to sleep on a bed. Bruce moved is laptop from underneath her left hand and sat it on the table next to his bed before laying next to her.

"Hey," Bruce said, massaging the back of Adriana's head. "Can I ask a favor?"

"Okay," Adriana rolled her head to the side to see Bruce. "What is it?"

"I don't want to you read my thoughts for a while," he asked. "I want to give you a surprise."

"I already stopped reading them," Adriana responded. "You kept thinking about the trial." Bruce had been watching the non-stop news coverage about the Joker being taken into custody. His trial began almost immediately. The people of Gotham wanted him to be sentenced quickly this time before he could excape again.

"Good to know," Bruce replied. "We're going to a party."

"What party?" Adriana was not in a party mood.

"Just a regular party to celebrate the past few months of safety and economic growth in Gotham," Bruce explained. "Lots of people will be there."

"I can't go though," Adriana said, relieved.

"Why not?" Bruce asked.

"I'm dead, remember?"

"Right. I need to ask another favor."

"Umm, okay?" Adriana was tempted to dig into his thoughts but resisted.

"You need to come back from the dead," Bruce said.

"That sounds like an order, not asking for a favor. How am I supposed to do that?"

"People do it all the time, especially in this city. Comissioner Gordon can help you. Just call him."

Adriana sat up and looked at Bruce seriously.

"I don't want to."

"You have to in order to get the surprise," Bruce said in a sneaky voice. "I know you don't mind living like this, and it will have to be all over the news to make it official, which doesn't matter since you don't watch it anymore. But it'll be worth it, okay? For you and Adrian, so he won't have to hide forever too."

Adriana called Gordon in the morning, who sounded happy to hear from her. He knew about the Joker's previous hunt for her and kept asking again and again if she was sure about it being revealed that she was alive. The Joker was in custody but always a danger, in Gordon's mind. She assured him that it was what she wanted and he told her he would take care of everything. Before ending the call, Gordon suggested she make some type of pubic appearance and invited her to a party which sounded like it would be full of Gotham's political figures. She was certain it was the party Bruce had told her about. Adriana told Gordon she was out of the city but would be in town for the party.

"He invited me to a party," Adriana told Bruce when she was done with the call.

"Made sure he had an extra invitation. I'm glad things are going along with the plan so far," Bruce said mysteriously.

"You mean, the scheme," Adriana laughed, wishing she hadn't promised Bruce she wouldn't pry into his plan. "Why couldn't I just go with you?"

"We need to 'meet' publicly. I trust Gordon, but I think it's best that he didn't know too much. He might make a connection between you working for the Batman, dissapearing, then showing up with me to the party." Bruce said, sounding like he had reasoned this in his head many times.

"But why?" Adriana asked, growing more curious by the minute.

"It's a surprise."


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41:

Part 1:

"It's a little revealing, Alfred," Adriana said while holding up the dress that he had given her to wear to the party.

"You can take that up with Bruce, Adriana," Alfred said diverting his look from the garment, then turning to leave the nursery. "I'm just here to deliver it to you."

The top of the black dress was a beautiful jeweled halter and the bottom was floorlength and completely transparent with two slits on both sides that cut up to the hip.

"This dress is crazy, Bruce. I'm going to pick up another one later," Adriana said to Bruce a few minutes later over the phone.

"But you have to wear it to get the surprise," Bruce explained, his voice accompanied by the sound of him typing.

"I'm just about done with this surprise nonsense," Adriana said while holding the dress against her body and wondering how it would look. Bruce made phony whiny noises into the phone before letting out a laugh that he turned into a cough.

"Wear it, please," he said, becoming serious.

"I'm a mom," Adriana said, using her new excuse for everything. Bruce began to make more whining noises.

"You say that at least ten times a day. Please wear it," Bruce whined.

"Whatever," Adriana said, then hung up the phone before Bruce could rejoice.

Adriana tried on the dress with the black steel boned corset Julia had given her. She insisted at they worked wonders after childbirth which had proven true for Adriana in a matter of days. The dress revealed everything below the hips so Adriana decided to try on a pair of black tights underneath which clung to the transparent fabric and the bottom.

"Ew, no this is ugly as shit," Adriana said in frustration before quickly clamping a hand over her mouth. "I mean.. sugar!" Adriana explained to her sleeping son. Sheer pantyhose looked much better but didn't do much for modestly.

That night Adriana struggled to part with Adriana for the few hours that the party would be taking place. Alfred told her dozens of times that he would be perfectly fine and that she would be late if her 4 hours of self debating didn't end soon. After she left, she decided to go to the mall to hopefully find another dress but ended up buying several outfits for Adrian instead. Gordon picked her up from the hotel that she had told him she would be staying at while in town at exactly nine.

The party was full of people Adriana didn't recognize so Gordon decided he would introduce her to as many people as possible. Adriana hoped he would change his mind after their coats were taken and her dress made of minimal fabric was exposed. He appeared surprised for a few minutes but then walked her around to talk to various people, including the new mayor. The room became more and more crowded until it became almost difficult to move.

"Feels like we're in the club," Adriana laughed as she and Gordon made their way to the bar.

"Commissioner Gordon!" a familiar voice came from behind her as she took a seat at the bar. Gordon introduced Adriana to Bruce. "I've seen you on the news."

"So you've begun watching the news," Gordon joked before he was pulled away by a man who wanted Gordon to meet his brother.

"I wanna check on Adrian," Adriana said as soon as he was gone, wishing she hadn't left her phone in her coat.

"He's perfectly fine," Bruce said before sipping a glass of champagne.

"I want some," Adriana said, remembering how long it had been since she had any alcohol, and unthinkingly reached for his glass.

"Uh, uh," Bruce said while moving his hand away from hers and looked around. "You aren't supposed to know me."

"Oh, sorry," Adriana apologized, feeling silly and forgetful.

"I'll get you some but you can't just take mine," Bruce said, still looking around. He found a server a few seconds later and grabbed a glass for her.

"Do you want to dance?" Bruce asked in a jokingly flirty voice.

"No," Adriana replied, noticing that people were dancing in an open space in the center of the room.

"But the surprise-," Bruce started.

"How did I know?" Adriana rolled her eyes and finished her glass of champagne. "I'm not dancing."

"Please, it's the last thing you have to do to get the surprise," he pleaded.

"Do you promise?" Adriana whined.

"I swear," he smiled. Adriana gave a single nod and stood from her bar stool.

"Oh my God, girl!" a short man in glasses with a thick accent appeared at Adriana's side. "I _love_ you!"

"I'm sorry?" Adriana looked at Bruce, who looked equally confused.

"You are a model?" the man asked in his smooth but heavy accent.

"No," Adriana wanted to laugh.

"You have considered? Are you interested?" the man's smile became broad.

"Un, no, but I think I'm too old for that now," Adriana said taking a second glass of champagne.

"No you are in modeling prime! At 26 you can tell be about old!" the man reached past her and grabbed a shot from the bartender.

"I'm 32," Adriana said, taking in the man's surprise.

"Yeah, can you believe it? And she was just telling me she had a kid two weeks ago," Bruce finally spoke.

"No! I can't believe that! You are wonderful, girl, I love you," the man repeated. "Take my card."

"Maybe we'll see you on a runway soon, huh?" Bruce's pinched and amused smile made Adriana want to leave the party.

"No, not runway. Sorry but you will not fit in there but you look photogenic. I think you have the figure for swimwear? Maybe lingerie?" he said after finally taking his shot. Adriana breathed a sigh of relief as someone practically yanked him away to dance.

"Maybe swimwear? Maybe lingerie?" Bruce imitated the accent.

"Don't do that," Adriana grew more annoyed.

"Do what?" Bruce asked in a phony voice of innocence.

"Did you tell him to do that? Is that part of the surprise?"

"No, but I'll tell you what, that was a hilarious surprise to me!" Bruce laughed then pulled Adriana to the dance floor.

After a few minutes of dancing with Bruce, Adriana found herself dancing with a woman who had abandoned her date. They danced facing away from each other leaning back to back, swaying and waving their arms around carelessly. Bruce watched them, entertained for a few minutes but then pulled Adriana back to dance with him.

"Umm, what are you doing?" Adriana asked as Bruce spun her to face away from him and pulled her tightly against him and moved his right hand to her throat. He moved quickly and deeply with the rhythms of the music.

"People are staring, Bruce," Adriana said between her teeth after his lack of response to her question.

"They were already staring," he replied.

"Yeah, they were staring before because you made me dance in the middle of the room and they can see all my assets. Now they're staring because-"

"Because of what?" Bruce asked as he quickly spun Adriana to face him. "I gotta make an obvious scene."

"Because grinding and a party that involves the mayor don't mix," Adriana smiled and lightly pushed him away.

Part 2:

"I like her," Bruce said to Gordon as it was nearing midnight. He pretended to have had more drinks than he actually did.

"Which you made pretty obvious," Gordon said, referring to Bruce's dancing. "She's been through a lot," Gordon said protectively.

"Well, it seems like things can only get better from here on," Bruce said.

"I'm not sure she's your type though." Gordon spoke into his glass and was thinking of Bruce's past model girlfriends and lack of serious relationships.

"I think she might be," Bruce sang, while walking away.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42:

"How much fun was that?" Bruce phoned Adriana's hotel room from his downtown apartment.

"Mhm," Adriana nodded at the phone. "_Niceeee_..I'm gonna go back now."

"Back where?" Bruce asked, confused. "To the party?"

"No, to Adrian, _silly_, " Adriana said after a long burp.

"Sounds like I have to come and get you," Bruce sighed.

"Well, yea, a little bit," she replied. "I am a little bit."

"Yeah," Bruce shook his head at the phone. "I'll be outside in an hour."

Adriana tossed the bag of clothes she had purchased for Adrian into the back seat before getting into the car. Bruce looked at her staring at the road several times and noticed she was gradually smiling more and more each time he looked at her.

"How much champagne did you have?" Bruce poked her smiling cheek.

"Not a lot," Adriana answered, smacking his hand away. "But there was a little fridge with wine, teeny bottles."

"Lightweight," Bruce laughed.

"Yeah," Adriana said in a loud voice that made Bruce jump slightly. "But it's fun as hell being a lighweight ain't it!"

"If you say so. I wouldn't know," Bruce laughed.

"Don't make fun of me," Adriana slurred. "Unless its really funny."

"This is really funny," Bruce poked her again.

"I want my surprise," Adriana demanded. "Because I did all that stuff, all of it. Stupid dancing!"

Bruce became quiet after she asked.

"What?" Adriana stammered.

"Nothing," Bruce shook his head. "You know I love you, right?"

"Yeah, I love you too," Adriana smiled. "Like the fat kid loves cake and whipped cream and doughnuts. Mmmmm mmmm."

"What?" Bruce exploded with laughter as they arrived at Wayne Manor.

"Can I have the surprise Bruce Better Than Chocolate Wayne," Adriana laughed at herself then kissed his cheeks when he stopped driving. "Yum yum yum.."

"You are too much," Bruce got out of the car quickly and opened her door.

When they entered the house Adriana went straight to Adrian's room where Alfred had informed her he had just fallen asleep.

"He was awake nearly the entire time you were gone," Alfred said sleepily.

"I'm going to sleep in here with him, I feel so bad," Adriana leaned over his crib.

"Let him sleep," Bruce tugged her arm afraid she would tumble in to the crib.

"Okay," Adriana kissed the baby's left cheek and faught the urge to pick him up. "Goodnight."

Adriana tossed herself into Bruce's bed and kicked her shoes onto the floor.

"Sleeping in your clothes?" Bruce asked.

"You call this clothes?" Adriana tugged the thin fabric on the bottom of the dress. "I want my surprise." Adriana lay flat on her back and spoke to the art on the ceiling.

"Okay, I'll stop buttering you up," Bruce said.

"You're fondling my trigger," Adriana rolled her head to the side after Bruce tossed his shirt over her face. He looked at her with a smile and she shamelessly admired his shirtless body. He pulled his phone from his pocket which Adriana didn't hear ring and after an "mhm" into the phone he informed her that he had to leave.

"I'm sorry," Bruce apologized as he grabbed another shirt.

"That's okay," Adriana stared at him mesmerized as he stretched into the shirt. She let him go knowing she needed him more than the entire city of Gotham.

When he was gone she removed the clingy dress and buttoned herself into the shirt he had tossed onto her. She felt unimaginable relief when she removed the tight dress and pantyhose and pulled her arms into the shirt. The bed felt cold without Bruce in it but Adriana was happy that she could smell him in his shirt. She pulled both of her arms inside from the sleeved, pulled her head inside of the collar, and drew up her legs until she was fully enveloped. She inhaled the comforting fragrance and dozed in the exhilarating swaddle.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43:

The way she slept left Adriana confused for a few moments the following morning. After pushing her head and arms through their designated openings in the shirt she felt that Bruce's side of the bed was slightly warm. She felt it several times times with her foot until it grew cool, then managed to convince herself that the warmth was just her imagination. The mortification that she would feel if he had seen her cocooned in his shirt was overwhelming. She felt the cool sheets again before going into the bathroom. Last night's dark and smeared makeup made her laugh because she looked to herself like a heroin addict. She toweled off some of it before seeing a tiny sparkle flash past her eyes then dissapear. She looked around the bathroom rapidly in confusion, and when she saw nothing, went back the removing the makeup. It appeared again and she dropped the towel in an attempt to catch it. As both hands swung for it she realized that it was a large sparkling rock on a ring on her finger.

She held out her hand and looked closer at the diamonds arranged is the shape of a star-like explosion. Her mind searched last night's memories as she tried to recall if she had taken anyone's ring. Memories of taking random people's cell phones and drunkenly texting whoever was in their contacts lists during parties while in her short try at college made her laugh.

"God!" Adriana screamed when she looked into the mirror and saw Bruce standing behind her. "You scared my hair gray!'

"Why are you laughing?" Bruce asked while picking up the towel soiled in makeup.

"Just remembering when I used to steal people's cell phones at college parties. I think I walked off with someone's ring," Adriana showed Bruce the diamonds. "It's a stunner."

"Did you steal that bag of clothes you left in the car?" Bruce asked completely amused.

"No, I paid for that. I remember," Adriana said absorbed in the explosive ring.

"Just like I paid for that ring," Bruce said.

"I stole if from you?" Adriana asked, dissapointed in herself.

"No, I gave it to you. It's your surprise. And let me tell you, it was no easy task getting it on your hand with you sleeping like that," Bruce explained. "I almost gave up and put it on you toe."

"You saw that?" Adriana took the towel from Bruce and used it to cover her face and pretend to wipe off more makeup. "So it this...like a promise ring?"

"No," Bruce laughed and kneeled on the soft mat in front of the sink. "Are you sober?"

"Yes," Adriana replied.

"So, will you marry me?" Bruce looked up expectantly.

"What?" Adriana began to laugh but stopped when she saw that Bruce was completely serious. "Bruce, you can't marry me."

"Why the hell not?" Bruce asked, still looking up.

"Please stand up," Adriana put a hand over her eyes in frustration and faced away from him. When she looked back he was standing.

"Why not?" he repeated taking the towel that she was using to cover part of her face.

"Bruce! You watched me give birth a couple weeks ago to a kid that's not yours!" Adriana nearly shouted. "A kid whose father killed someone you loved and think about so much. Someone who I can feel in this house every day, Bruce!"

"Yeah, but I still want to marry you," Bruce said honestly.

"This is crazy," Adriana waved a hand at Bruce and reached for the towel. Her heart jumped in surprise when she felt Bruce's strong hand stopping hers with great force and taking her by both arms.

"At least tell me why!" he pleaded.

"I already told you!" Adriana said while yanking both arms away from him. She crossed the bathroom and sat on the toilet and submurged her face into her hands. The feeling of the ring against her forehead made her want to scream.

"I've already forgiven him-" Bruce explained softly.

"I don't have anything for you Bruce!" Adriana watched his expression through her tears. "How can you be so forgiving? I don't even deserve to be here sitting on your toilet, certainly not marrying you! Look at all the people who have been hurt or nearly killed because of me. I'm so ashamed, I can't even forgive myself. I don't deserve any of this. I don't even deserve Adrian. So there, you have it," Adriana concluded and looked into Bruce's eyes for a second before nearly running from the bathroom.

She ran down the hall to the room where she never slept but kept all of her clothes. She pulled herself into a pair of jeans that were now too tight and wouldn't zip or button but she didn't care since Bruce's long shirt covered it. Her arms seemed to move on their own as she pulled on boots and stuffed a few items into a small bag which was the only one she could find. She found her old wallet and cards and shoved them in. The zipper required and unimaginable amounf of strength and broke halfway. Adriana threw the bag and ripped zipper not caring where they landed and collaped on the floor next to the bed. She felt Bruce come into the room and pulled her knees up to her forehead in shame. He closed the door softly and walked over to her.

"Don't touch me!" Adriana yelled into her knees and his hand approached. He dropped his hand at his side. "Whe is he doing this to me? Why is this happening?"  
>Bruce was quiet and waited patiently for her to say more. He wanted to ask what she was talking about but decided againt it.<p>

"He can't do this me. Just leave like that," Adriana wept. "It's so easy for him to just give up and more on. It's not fair."

"He didn't move on," Bruce sat next to Adriana. "You saw the way he looked at Adrian. He didn't want to leave him with all of the possibility and the potential he could create in his son."

"I care about him, Bruce. I don't want anything to happen to him," Adriana explained.

"I know. I've been trying for a long time to understand you two or at least make some sense of it because you never talk about him. You're ashamed for caring about him when he's killed and terrorized and had cared about no one."

"I'm really stupid," Adriana said shamefully.

"You're not. You and he are alike a bit, you know that Adriana? You both fight the universe in an endless battle you'll never win. He fights everyone and takes out his anger and vengence on this city. He's had terrible things done to him and never wants this city to sleep or enjoy a moment. But you, you've had to see the worst in people in you mind for your entire life. You're angry at everyone just like he is but you take it out on yourself. You won't let yourself be happy and you won't let anyone treat you well."

"That's why you shouldn't marry me," Adriana shrugged, understanding.

"No," Bruce said instantly. "You need to learn from him. He's given up fighting for nothing. He's not out to hurt everyone anymore, just like you need to stop hurting yourself. You know why he did that don't you?"

"Because he loves Adrian," Adriana realized aloud.

"Yes," Bruce said. "Stopped fighting out of love for Adrian."

"Just like I want to stop because of the love I have for you," Adriana looked at Bruce in wonder.

"I hope so," Bruce smiled.

"But could you tolerate me forever?" Adriana asked bluntly. "I'm not used to this, being in love without being hurt at the same time."

"Tolerate you?" Bruce smiled wider.

"All I do is take from you. You give and give and give and forgive and forgive and accept and accept. I just think you'll get tired of that someday," Adriana said.

"Well, when it comes to you," Bruce said mysteriously. "Never. Just as long as you don't take it for granted."

"Never," Adriana said with all of the honesty and truthfullness she possesed.

"I want you to start doing everything that makes you happy," Bruce whispered.

"Like marrying you?" she responded in a voice as bright as the sun.

"If it would make you happy," Bruce said casually.

"You don't even know how happy."


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44:

Part 1:

"So why did I have to go through all that stuff," the question popped into Adriana's mind. "Like the dancing and the dress and all that stupid stuff?"

"I told you before," Bruce explained. "We had to meet publicly."

"Right," Adriana felt silly for asking but felt that there was more to this. "But why did you have to make us look so stupid?"

"Well we'd have to be stupid to get married a month after meeting, right?" Bruce stood up.

"What?" Adriana stood too. "Can you rephrase that?"

"Wedding is in a month," Bruce smiled. "Everything's planned but not set up yet."

"Oh you sure were sure of yourself, huh?" Adriana tumbled in laughter.

"Yeah so you can imagine how I felt from your initial reaction," Bruce ran a hand through his dark hair and raised an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry," Adriana tried to turn serious but couldn't. "A month really?"

"Yup. Announcing the engagement in a week, engagement party a week after, wedding two weeks after that," Bruce recited.

"Damn!" Adriana's seriousness came abrubtly. "I thought we were going to do something more stupid like elope maybe?"

"I thought of that but it would be more suspicious," Bruce sounded like he had thought of every possible plan.

"This is already suspicious," Adriana sat on the bed and pulled off one of her tight shoes. "What are people going to think? I have to tell my family and they still don't even know about Adrian. People will think we're idiots."

"Well that's the public image we have to put out. It makes more sense for us to just be stupid," Bruce sat on the bed.

"True. I guess you're known for being," Adriana thought for some moments. "A priveleged aloof pretty boy."

"Come again?" Bruce wasn't shocked at the words but at the fact that they were coming from her.

"He thought that when he was here, those exact words," Adriana smiled in great humor at Bruce's stunned appearance.

"Well, good," Bruce decided. "That's the image I hope to put out. Priveleged aloof pretty boy."

"Ugh, I dont want to have an engagement party," Adriana complained and threw herself back on the bed.

"Don't worry, you'll only have to leave this antisocial hermit life for two occasions," Bruce said while pulling off Adriana's other shoe. "Why are they so damned tight?"

"I think my feet got flatter," Adriana pulled her left foot close to her face and observed the new lack of arch.

"Looks like your pants are tight too," Bruce moved her shirt up to her stomach and noticed the unzipped pants.

"A bit," Adriana tried to close them with no success. She pulled in her stomach as far as it would go but it seemed her hips had become wider.

"Yeah, just a bit," Bruce said sarcastically then stood over her.

"What are you doing?" Adriana asked in surprise at one of his hands pressing firmly on her pelvis and the other forcing the zipper upwards.

"I think it's time for some new clothes," his voice strained as he inched the zipper nearer to the button.

"Stop, stop!" Adriana nearly laughed at a familiar tingling within but couldn't due to a small unexpected seize.

"Why? It's almost there," Bruce had the zipper completely closed but hesitated before closing the button.

"Yeah and so am I," laughter erupted as Adriana used both feet to kick him back.

"Seriously?" Bruce asked after a moment's pause.

"Yeah," Adriana rolled on her side in laughter which caused the pants to completely unzip again.

Part 2:

The announcement of the engagement was a good enough reason for Adriana to take a short break from her news and TV strike.

"Gotham's most eligible bachelor Bruce Wayne has recently announced engagement to Adriana Navarro who has made several headlines in the past.." Adriana tuned the woman's salty voice out for a few moments until she heard her mention Bruce's name again.

"Wayne and Navarro are believed to have only met a mere six days ago which has created many justified speculations." The woman dissapeared and interview random people on the street.

"All I'm saying is I hope they get a prenup!" a man who looked like a farmer in overalls exclaimed. "But wish them the best, I guess!"

"You know," and irritated and obviously jealous girl appeared next. "I bet that marriage will be shorter than this news report on it."

A few other people appeared, some friendly, most others were harsh. The news reporter gave an exaggerated fake positive comment on the engagement and then passed the spotlight on to someone else.

"It other news, less than 48 hours remaining until the sentencing of Gotham's most heinous criminal-"

Adriana cut the TV off immediately.


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45:

Part 1:

"This place is outrageous!" Harri exclaimed when she arrived the next day. "Beautiful!"

"Yeah, it is," Adriana agreed while taking some of Harri's many bags. Alfred came through the door a few moments later with even more.

"Where's Adrian?" Harri wondered immediately. "I wanna see him!"

"Why do you have so many bags, jeez Harri," Adriana started to count the bags.

"Lots of Christmas presents for you and my nephew," Harri helped move the bags to the room she was going to be staying in.

"His room is right next to yours," Adriana said as they went into the decorated nursery. "He might be sleeping," Adriana whispered as they entered.

"This nursery looks like it costs more than my whole house," Harri whispered back.

"He's awake," Adriana said as she saw Adrian's bright open eyes. She lifted him from the crib and held him out to Harri.

"Oh my," Harri cooed to Adrian, "He's so beautiful, Adriana. You should be really proud."

"I am," Adriana smiled.

"He's a baby doll," Harri said in a high voice. "Can I have him?" she asked while playing with his tiny hands. "You are so precious I just want to take you home with me. I got you so many presents, honey eyes."

"Honey eyes?" Adriana laughed.

"Look at the color," Harri said dazed. "He doesn't look like you much though, except for his lips."

"I know," Adriana walked closer and looked at his golden eyes and smooth hair. "You look like daddy."

"Nah," Harri said. "He doesn't look like Bruce."

"He's hungry," Adriana took Adrian before he could cry in hunger to feed him. When she was done he became sleepy again.

"No don't go to sleep yet," Harri whined to Adrian. She hadn't taken her eyes off of him since she entered the room.

"Too late," Adriana whispered. "He sleeps a lot. He was awake most of the day yesterday though, looking at the TV with me."

"Aww, well I hope he stays awake tomorrow," Harri was laying on the couch in the nursery. They left the room and Adriana helped Harri unpack the abundance of clothing she had stuffed into a small suitcase.

Part 2:

"Where's your room?" Harri asked Adriana when they were done. "Is it nice? Silly question, this whole mansion is nice."

"It's down the hall," Adriana led Harri to the room where she left most of her things.

"Do you sleep in here?" Harri asked, noticing that the room looked spotless.

"No, I sleep in the other room with Bruce," Adriana answered.

"Awwww," Harri said sweetly. "We really should catch up, you know." Harri lay across the large bed and patted the area next to her.

"Yeah," Adriana flopped next to her. "So catch me up."

"I'm going to have a baby too," Harri burst out, smiling.

"Really!" surprise erupted in Adriana's voice. "With Antonio?" Adriana remembered Harri's long term boyfriend who she always seems to be fighting with.

"Yeah," Harri sighed. "I hope my baby will be as cute as Adrian."

"Is Antonio happy?" Adriana asked.

"Yeah, apparently my kid will be named Antonio or Antonia. I can't believe you're getting married, Adri," Harri rolled over and pulled a pillow under her head.

"Me either," Adriana agreed.

"Is Adrian Bruce's son?" Harri could contain the question no longer. "It's all over the news he's not. I don't want to believe something that's not the truth, and you know you can trust me Adri."

"I know, Harri. But there's just too much to tell, that I can't tell you."

"You can tell me anything. All of the stuff you have told me over the years, all of the frightening-"

"Okay," Adriana knew that Harri would never tell a soul anything, but didn't want to stress her out with all of the information. "No, Adrian's not Bruce's son."

"Oh," Harri sat up. "So who is it?"

"I can't tell you much, Harri," Adriana rolled to face away from her. "I know you won't tell but I don't know if you'll be able to bear all the information."

"Yes you can," Harri said. "And I know that you want to. Please just tell my why everyone's saying you and Bruce just met like a week ago. Just tell me everything, I can handle it."

"I don't even know where to start, Harri," Adriana said, wishing her voice didn't sound so sad.

"Start with whatever's easiest," Harri massaged Adriana's shoulder. "Alright?"

"Ok," Adriana whispered. "Bruce is the Batman."

"Oh," Harri said, trying to conceal her disbelief. Her mind tried to match Bruce up with the Batman and somehow make them one person, but they didn't seem the same. "You sure?"

"I'm positive, Harri. That's how I met him."

"Ok, I guess that makes sense if you both were working closely with the police," Harry thought. "He sure hides it well. I never would have though of him as the Batman based on how he seems in the news and stuff. Seems like he's more into money and parties and business than the welfare of the city. That's really amazing."

"Yeah, he's different once you get to know him," Adriana closed her eyes.

"So, what about Adrian?" Harri asked. Adriana let out a huge sigh.

"Lay down, Harri," Adriana patted the bed.

"That serious?" Harri obeyed and put her head back onto the pillow.

"Yeah. You know who the Joker is," Adriana stated.

"Umm, yeah, that's the one who kidnapped me the and was after you. Now he's about to go to jail or to a padded box for life for killing everyone when they sentence him tomorrow-" Harri spoke quickly.

"Yeah, him. He's Adrian's father," Adriana cut her off.

"How? You're Adrian's mother," Harri was confused.

"Yeah I'm Adrian's mother and he's Adrian's father," Adriana felt like she was talking to a five year old.

"They had a photo of him in the police station when I went. They showed it to me," Harri's voice shook. "Adrian looks just like him. But why do you have a kid together Adriana, I don't get it."

"We were together for a few months."

"Together, together? In a relationship?" Harri's questions couldn't be asked fast enough. Adriana told her everything up until when he left after Adrian was born. Adriana expected Harri to look disgusted when she was done spilling everything but instead she looked suprised and romanced.

"Bruce really loves you," Harri sighed. "You know I'd never tell anyone any of this. It could put you and Adrian and Bruce in danger. Especially Adrian."

"I know," Adriana felt tremendous relief that Harri was taking everything well.

"You sound really sad about Adrian's dad choosing to get booked," Harri half asked.

"Yeah, I am."

"But it's really a good thing you know? If he didn't do that he'd come after Adrian...You'd have to stop him, probably by killing him. Or the Batman would have to kill him..I mean Bruce."

"I don't want to talk about it though. I haven't been listening to anyone's thoughts because I don't want to hear if anyone's thinking about it. That's the only way I'd make it through this engagement party and wedding."

"You need to go shopping to take your mind off of things," Harri suggested.

"Yea, Bruce keeps telling me I need to get some new clothes."

"Well, come on then! And when do you plan on getting a wedding dress?" Harri was too excited.

"I don't know I hadn't even thought of it. I guess I was just thinking Bruce would pick it, he picks everything."

"NO, he cannot pick out your wedding dress. We should get it today," Harri suggested, "Your mind will be busy all day long."

"Good idea," Adriana agreed. The wedding was in a few short weeks but seemed like an eternity away. "I've got to ask Alfred to sit with Adrian."

"He doesn't seem like a babysitter," Harri laughed.

"He loves Adrian, and he's great with him. Surprised me," Adriana laughed too.

"Okay, do you have money?" Harri stood up and pulled Adriana off of the bed.

"No, I don't really spend any," Adriana realized. She reached into the small bag that was still stuffed with clothes from the day she wanted to run away. She looked at her debit card which she was sure must have still had money since she deposited $10 million months ago and never used it. The card, she noticed, had expired the previous month. "Ugh, card's expired."

"Oh," Harri was dissapointed then immediately distracted by Adriana's phone vibrating.

"Hello?" Adriana answered Bruce's call. "Yeah she's here. Bruce says hi."

"Hi," Harri beamed.

"She says hi too...Yeah, we were gonna go shopping but my card's expired I have to get a new one...My debit card...For clothes and she says I should get a wedding dress," Adriana jumped as Bruce cheered on the other line and Harri began to laugh hard upon hearing his loud cheers through the phone.

"Yeah but I gotta wait for a new card though, maybe they sent it to my old house...Ok...," Adriana listened as Bruce instructed her to go into his office and Harri followed her.

"Ok, I'm at the desk...which one?" Bruce instructed Adriana to open a drawer to get a small key hidden in a notebook. She then used the tiny key to open another drawer with several envelopes. "Yeah I see them...Letter A? Ok...Yeah I got it...wow.."

Harri looked around the office at all of the books about law and business and poked through a pile of magazines on the same topics. She turned to see Adriana typing on the laptop on the desk.

"Yeah..." Adriana spoke as Harri came behind her to see what she was doing. She had opened an envelope with four cards with her name on all of them. "Ok I think I just need one...Fine..."

Adriana opened up the local bank's website and listened as Bruce gave her information to log into his account. The balance was a number that was a staggering ten digits long. Bruce instructed her on how to activate the first card with her name on it. When she was done and went back to the account overview she noticed that the balance had increased by nearly $4,000 within the last couple of minutes. Harri's mouth dropped when she saw the amount of money in the account and was shocked even further when Adriana repeated the process for three other banks and cards.

"Yeah, I'm done them all," Adriana spoke to Bruce. "Ok, I love you too. Bye."

"Was I just seeing things?" Harri asked after Adriana hung up the phone. "Or do you have millions and billions on all of those cards?"

"I'm wondering the same thing," Adriana laughed.

"Well since you have your healthy new cards we can get you a wedding dress and maybe one for the engagement party too," Harri got excited again.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46:

Part 1:

The day was perfect for shopping. The sun was bright and vibrant and the sky was cloudless. The wind was brisk and icy but tolerable in a heavy coat. It was nearly noon on a Friday so the stores were not busy yet, for which Adriana was grateful. Harri preferred shopping when stores were packed because she liked crouds and being social.

"It's really dead today," Harri said as they entered the first store.

"We should have gone to the mall," Adriana ignored Harri's comment as they entered an upscale boutique overpowered by a large chandelier in the middle of the ceiling.

"Hello ladies-" an associate with curly red hair approached them. "Hi," the girl beamed. Adriana pressed into the woman's thought's with a little effort. She was overjoyed and recognized Adriana from the news, nearly starstruck.

"Hi," Harri said finally. "This is cute." Harri pulled a purple and gold scarf from a pole rack and wrapped it around her neck.

"You should get it then," Adriana walked around trying to avoid the salesgirl's stares.

"Are you looking for anything in particular?" the girl asked, still smiling genuinely.

"Umm...clothes, shoes, everything." Adriana noticed another woman who looked like she could be a manager standing near the back of the store then walking over quickly. She had one thing boldly in her mind: money.

"Well I can help you with that!" the woman walked over and introduced herself as Karen.

"Do you really like this, Adri?" Harri asked, interrupting Karen, while modeling the scarf.

"Yeah, it's cute for you. I wouldn't wear it but it's nice on you," Adriana commented.

"I like it is cute for me isn't it," Harri looked at the tags on the scarf.

"So you need clothes and shoes?" Karen asked Adriana.

"Yes," Adriana walked away again and looked at a rack of jeans, wishing that there were other customers in the store for Karen to busy herself with. "Pants especially."

"Would you like me to help you?" the girl with the curly red hair asked. Karen seemed mildly annoyed then switched her attention to Harri who was looking at purses.

"Of course," Adriana replied to the girl who's name tag read 'Ruby'.

"Do you like these?" Ruby held up a pair dark blue skinny jeans.

"They're really nice," Adriana said honestly. The jeans felt thick and perfect for the winter and of very good quality. The buttons were spotless and shiny and she could see her reflection perfectly in each one. "I think this might be my size."

"Well if you want I can hold them until you're ready to try things on," Ruby said sweetly and then suggested more things for Adriana. Everything Ruby picked, Adriana liked. She seemed to recognize Adriana's style and was able to match it perfectly and effortlessly. Even the sizing appeared right.

Ruby's arms eventually became full and Adriana started carrying things as well until they finally reached the fitting room. Every single item was perfect and flattering.

"You did a really great job picking things out," Adriana said to Ruby as she was showing her the final outfit.

"Thanks!" Ruby sounded proud of herself.

"I guess I'm ready to check out now," Adriana said feeling mildly tired from trying on clothes.

"Great I'll take everything up front," Ruby piled the clothes up in her arms as Adriana went back into the stall to remove the final outfit. Her phone vibrated on the soft couch in the stall.

_How's you day going? _Bruce's message read.

_Call me :) _Adriana replied. A few seconds later her phone rang.

"We're in some boutique getting stuff," Adriana said before Bruce could talk as she removed the black jeans that fit perfectly. "Even the fitting room is luxurious."

"A boutique? I'm impressed," Bruce said souding relaxed.

"Yeah, I wanted to go the mall but Harri decided to come here," Adriana said. "Hold on." She sat the phone down and pulled off the loose off-shoulder white shirt.

"I'm changing clothes," Adriana explained as she pulled her sweatpants back on.

"Find anything you like?" Bruce asked with the sound of smooth typing in the background.

"Yeah, lot's of stuff," Adriana said.

"You have to thank Harri for me, I'm excited to meet her later. I didn't want you going to the mall and buying more hoodies and jeans," Bruce joked.

"I'm getting lots of jeans here but they're really nice," Adriana zipped her hoodie. "Fashionable too and lots of nice tops and a couple dresses..I didn't check any prices yet though I hope it's not too much."

"I'm glad you went there and don't worry about how much it costs. Let your sister get what she wants too," Bruce said.

"You sure?" Adriana asked Bruce while she exited the fitting foom.

"Yes," Bruce said sounding distrated. "I'll call you back, I love you."

"I love you too, Bruce, bye," Adriana hung up the phone and went to the register where Karen was looking impatient. Adriana sat the pants and top she was carrying on top of the pile of clothes on the desk.

"Where's your scarf?" Adriana asked Harri, noticing she wasn't wearing it.

"It's like ninety bucks," Harri shook her head. Adriana started wondering how much her clothes would cost if a mere scarf was $90.

"You can get it if you want," Adriana said, not wanting to mention her chat with Bruce in front of Ruby and Karen. "I'll get it for you."

"Okay!" Harri said immediately without asking any questions. Karen began to ring and fold Adriana's clothes. As she got halfway through Adriana started wishing she hadn't gotten so much and looked at each piece wanting to find something she didn't want but she liked everything.

"Four thousand eight-six dollars, twenty cents," Karen smiled. Adriana handed the first card she could remove from her wallet without trying to show shock at the price. Karen swiped the dark blue card and handed it back to Adriana and gave her a small slip of paper to sign. "Thank you so much for your business ladies!"

"Yeah, you're welcome," Adriana said as she grabbed two of her bags. "Thank so much Ruby you were really helpful."

"You're welcome I hope we see you here again!" Ruby replied happily.

Harri grabbed Adriana's other bags and her small bag with her shimmering scarf. They walked out to Harri's car which was parked nearly right in front of the store.

"Thanks for the scarf Adriana!" Harri said while tossing the bags into the back seat.

"Thank Bruce," Adriana said as she sat on the passenger side. "He said you can get whatever you want."

"Really!" Harri shrieked as she fastened her seat belt. "Nice! Thank him for me."

"Okay," Adriana said as she sent Bruce a text.

"Wedding dress, engagement dress, shoes," Harri sang. "Shoes first!"  
>Adriana and Harri got many looks in the shoe boutique which was more crowded. Adriana found eight pairs that she liked and Harri found two. Harri suggested Adriana get an extra pair that would look good with a wedding dress so she did. Their total came to nearly the same amount of what they spent in the clothing boutique.<p>

"We're being so bad Harri. I spent like eight grand already and I don't even have the dresses yet. I hope Bruce won't kill me," Adriana whined to Harri when they were back in the car.

"Adriana, he's a billionaire. I've seen photos of him okay? We're nearly being cheapskates today. I know for a fact a pair of his shoes cost more than what we spent today and we got like eleven pairs," Harri said as she drove looking for a store that she had seen online that sold wedding gowns. "Have you even looked in his closet yet?"

"Yeah, once," Adriana remembered looking into his closet at his downtown apartment and seeing most of the items with tags still attatched. The cheapest item was around $800.

"So you know what I mean," Harri assumed.

"I hope you're right," Adriana sighed as they parked nearly a block away from the store.

The women in the dress store beamed when Adriana entered.

"Are you getting the dress here?" a woman asked Adriana as soon as she entered. All of the women working there looked like models.

"Yes," Harri answered for Adriana. "We need something beautiful!"

They all looked around and showed Adriana many dresses which were all too beautiful for her to decide which one she wanted. Adriana finally decided to walk around and look for herself.

"Look at this one!" Harri found Adriana in one of the endless aisle's of white.

"Which one?" Adriana asked while Harri pulled her into the next aisle.

"This," Harri looked in awe at the dress on a mannequin.

"Wow.." Adriana gaped too. The dress was virginal white but was covered entirely in pearls and gold beading. The dress was extremely detailed, it looked as if it was made out of sparkling lace leaves laid perfectly to create a strapless bodice.

"Do you like this one?" one of the model-like associates asked. "Would you like to try it on?"

"Yes, she would!" Harri answered for Adriana.

"How much is it?" Adriana asked the girl as she circled the mannequin and noticed the back of the dress was a beautiful and elaborate corset.

"Eighty-five," the girl replied nicely before turning to remove the dress carefully from the mannequin.

"Eighty five hundred," Adriana sighed.

"I think she meants eighty-five grand," Harri pointed to a small sign near the dress.

"Nuh uh," Adriana replied in disbelief until she saw the sign.

"Yuh huh," Harri said. "24K gold beads and real pearls."

"Harri why'd you show me this one!" Adriana whined. "I can't get that!"

"Just try it on, she's already taking it off the manneuqin," Harri suggested.

Three people helped Adriana into the dress which felt as though it was designed to be worn by her. It fit every inch and curve of her body flawlessly and the length was just right. Adriana looked at herself in the dress in the mirror and saw through her own tears that Harri was crying too.

"It's perfect, Adri," Harri wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "You have to get it."

"I don't even look like myself," Adriana whispered to herself, admiring her figure in the mirror. She looked mythical. "But the price-"

"You have to get it!" Harri said.

"Okay..." Adriana said dazed by the beading.

Part 2:

As they left the store Adriana couldn't believe that a dress could make her look so beautiful. She remembered vividly how it looked on her and was thrilled that no adjustments had to be made. She walked in a daze next to Harri but snapped back into reality when a man's camera flashed a picture of she and Harri.

"Can we help you?" Harri asked using her hand to block the lights of the camera.

"Is that the wedding dress?" the man, dressed in black and clearly paparazzi, asked while trying to take pictures from all angles. Another man seemed to appear out of no where and did the same thing. He took pictures of what Harri was carrying, even though the dress was completely covered and not a single detail of it was visible.

"Ok, stop," Harri said with attitude that made the second man stop. The first continued to photograph and followed them to their car.

"Run him over," Adriana said, profoundly annoyed that he was even taking photos of the car.

"Too late," Harri said as the man ran over to the sidewalk after she started the car.

"How am I going to tell Bruce I spent nearly a hundred grand," Adriana mumbled.

"You spent like like ninety-four grand," Harri replied. "And you haven't got the engagement dress yet."

"Why did you have to remind me?" Adriana cried.

"I'll run into the next store that looks good and I'll get it for you," Harri said. "I'll pay for it too so you won't feel so bad."

"Thanks," Adriana mumbled.


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47:

Part 1:

When Adriana arrived back at Wayne Manor she tossed her bags of clothes into her room and hung the wedding dress in the closet with Harri's help.

"Do you want to hang up your clothes too?" Harri asked while removing items from the bags.

"Yeah, but I want to go see Adrian first," Adriana practically ran from the room to Adrian's.

"Back already?" Alfred said. He was reading a book to Adriana and stopped mid-sentence.

"Were you just reading him about economics?" Adriana laughed as she picked up Adrian who was wide awake.

"It's never to early," Alfred smiled.

"So are you all ready to apply for colleges now?" Adriana asked Adrian seriously. He gave her a tiny smile of happiness. "I love youuuuuu... I love youuuuu..."

"Well how many times will you say it?" Alfred asked after Adriana told Adrian that she loved him over a dozen times.

"One time for every minute I was gone today," Adriana kissed Adrian until her became irritated. "I love youuu..."

Part 2:

Adriana woke up around nine that night when Bruce entered his room. He was a quiet as possible as he took off his shoes.

"I'm not asleep anymore," Adriana said to him.

"Sorry," Bruce apologized and leaned over her to kiss her. "I didn't think you'd be asleep, it's so early."

"I took a nap but I guess it turned into bedtime," Adriana yawned. "Is Adrian asleep?"

"No he's downstairs with Alfred and Harri," Bruce said. "She's really nice, she thanked me a hundred times for her shoes and scarf."

"I knew she would," Adriana yawned again.

"Did you get a wedding dress?" Bruce was sitting on edge of the bed still leaning over Adriana. The weight of one of his arms behind her lower back caused a small comfortable sinking in the matress.

"Yeah," Adriana breathed a sigh of disspointment.

"You didn't like what you got?" Bruce assumed. He leaned closer and began to kiss Adriana's shoulder and arms.

"No it's the most beautiful magical dress I've ever seen," Adriana said, thankful that she didn't have to look at him as she explained.

"So what's wrong?" Bruce asked as he kissed her wrist and hand.

"It was eighty-five grand," Adriana said expecting his light kisses to stop abrubtly, but they continued.

"Okay," Bruce said distracted as his kissed moved back up to her shoulder and down to her neck.

"You heard me right? Eighty five thousand dollars?" Adriana took his face in her hands to get his attention.

"I'm not deaf," Bruce smiled then took the opportunity to kiss her face. "Do you look beautiful in it?"

"It's.." Adriana struggled to find a word to capture the beauty of the gown.

"Good," Bruce kissed her a few more times then went to shower. When he returned and eased into the bed Adriana told him about the photographers.

"They followed us up the street," Adriana shook her head, aggrivated at remembering.

"Sorry about that," Bruce said while wrapping and arm around Adriana's waist and pulling her close enough to use her hips as a pillow to toss his right leg over.

"Why are you apologizing?" Adriana laughed.

"I didn't think of it before but I guess it could happen. We're in the spotlight for now but don't worry it'll blow over soon," Bruce assured her.

"Maybe," Adriana said distracted.

"You're probably not even tired anymore," Bruce said. "It's too early for bed anyway but you looked like a comfy pillow."

"I'm going to lay here until I fall asleep again. I can't do much else...I'm going to have to focus and remember so much tomorrow.." Adriana's voice shook slightly.

"What happened? Did you see the news?" Bruce lifted his head and rested it on his palm.

"Yeah.." Adriana stared off into the dark room. "I won't be looking into anyone's mind at all. I don't want to know the sentence."


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48:

Part 1:

One of Bruce's phones vibrated in the night stand but it didn't wake him from his blissful dreams. Adriana gently moved his arm that was heavy against her chest and reached for the phone. The screen was lit from a new text message.

_201 W . _ _Rr. IP. _

"Bruce," Adriana whispered and lightly touched his firm shoulder.

"Hm?" he responded, opening his eyes slowly.

"You got a text," Adriana showed him the phone and he sat up.

"Gotta go," he breathed, sounding tired and unwilling.

"What does it mean?" Adriana stuggled to make sense of the shorthand, only recognizing that the first part was an address.

"201 West Smedley Avenue, it's a jewelry shop. Robbery in progess," Bruce explained as he finished dressing in less than a second. "I'll be back."

"Bye," Adriana said to his back as he dissapeared.

The clock showed that it was a little after two in the morning. Adriana lay with her eyes closed until six o'clock when she became tired of attempting to sleep. She left Bruce's room and walked down to hall to Adrian's room, surprised to see Bruce again. He was holding Adrian who was wide awake and using both hands to squeeze Bruce's fingers.

"You're up early," Bruce said to Adriana when he noticed her in the room. "How was your sleep?"

"I couldn't sleep," Adriana said, feeling like a train wreck after a night of sleepless worrying.

"You must be tired," Bruce said absentmindedly as he pulled his fingers away from Adrian's tight grip. "You're strong!"

"You must be too," Adriana realized Bruce hadn't gotten much sleep either. "Do you want to sleep?"

"Can't," Bruce said as he cradled Adrian, "I'm going to head to work soon."

"You look tired though," Adriana replied, taking Adrian from Bruce.

"Unfortunately Wayne Enterprises does require _some _of my attention at times," Bruce yawned. "You should try to sleep too. Julia's here already, she can look after Adrian while you sleep."

"Okay," Adriana kissed Bruce who went to shower and get ready to leave for work. She went downstairs to see Julia preparing breakfast for Bruce.

"Good morning, my beautiful baby!" Julia exclaimed when she saw Adriana bringing Adrian into the kitchen. She immediately took him from Adriana's arms and began to dance around the kitchen with him managing to tend to the food at the same time.

"I'm going to bed, I hope you don't mind watching him," Adriana said sleepily.

"No, no," Julia said. "I don't mind at all, he's a good baby. He just keeps those beautiful eyes closed and sleeps, no crying!"

"Thanks," Adriana said quickly before returning to sleep.

"Sheesh," Adriana sighed when she looked at the clock. She had slept in until nearly five in the evening. She jumped from the bed quickly to shower and dress. When she entered the kitchen she immediately apologized to Julia.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to sleep so long," Adriana said nearly out of breath.

"No problem, honey, your sister had him all day long so I didn't even have to watch him," Julia said as she washed a small pile of dishes. "I think she's watching TV."

Adriana left the kitchen to find Bruce, Adrian, Harri, Alfred, and Lucius sitting quietly in another room.

"Did I miss some kind of meeting?" Adriana joked as she took Adrian from Harri. He was wide awake and had a lock of Harri's curly hair twisted in his tiny fingers.

"No," Harri said quietly, untangling her hair from Adrian's fist.

Adriana looked at the three men in the room who seemed solemn but attempting to hide it.

"Well I must be going," Lucius said, then stood.

"Ok, goodnight," Adriana said to him. Alfred followed him out of the room.

"You know what, I can't wait for your engagement party," Harri said.

"Yay," Adriana said with sarcastic enthusiasm.

Part 2:

The dress that Harri had picked for Adriana to wear for the engagement party was grey, long sleeved and mid thigh length. It had a delicate silver chain across the waist and though it was simple, it was very flattering.

"I love parties," Harri said when she and Adriana had finished dressing. "Too bad I can't drink."

"That's the worst part of being pregnant," Adriana laughed. "I miss being pregnant though."

"Really, why?" Harri asked while fastening her left heel.

"It's just amazing feeling and watching your little baby move around inside you," Adriana smiled remembering.

"You can see it?" Harri asked in disbelief.

"Yeah when your baby gets big enough you can see a little, sometimes," Adriana explained. "I don't want to go through labor again though."

"Ugh, don't even get me thinking about that," Harri sighed. "Let's get out of here."

Alfred decided to stay at Wayne Manor with Adrian. Adriana wished she could stay behind with them. The party was to be in a popular downtown hotel.

"The rooms must be huge, the doors are so far apart on this floor," Harri noticed as they passed only two doors walking down the long hallway to their room.

"Indeed," Bruce said as they entered the beautifully decorated hotel room. It looked like it could be someone's living room, if they were very rich and had a housekeeper to keep everything immaculate. Adriana was relieved to see that no one had arrived yet but a few staff people.

"I need a Xanax," Adriana said to Bruce. "I have butterflies in my stomach."

"Social anxiety," Bruce smiled then massaged her shoulders. "Would a drink help?"

"Absolutely," Adriana said, relieved. Bruce gave her a Long Island iced tea and went to get it refilled when she was done.

"Better?" he said when she was done the second. "I think you should have just had one."

"Much better, and two was fine," Adriana waved her hand at him. She wanted to laugh at the way it flopped around but didn't want to appear to faded. Harri sat next to her and sipped ice water. She started to talk about her boyfriend and how much she didn't want to ever get married but felt like she had to since they were having a kid. Adriana and Harri became so absorbed in conversation that Adriana didn't notice the several people thathad entered the room.

"I need another drink," Adriana said to Harri after several people came over to her and shook her hand and hugged her.

"I'll get it," Harri stood up and walked over to the bar but seemed to get lost in chatter with the bartender. Adriana looked around for Bruce who was also chatting with a large group of people.

Adriana stood and walked over to a table lined neatly with full champagne glasses. She quickly drank two and heard two female voices behind her.

"You _know_ those are contacts, her eyes are like see through," one voice whispered.

"Maybe, but she definitely has lip injections and plastic surgery. She tried to make herself Angelina Jolie," the other voice said quieter. Adriana pretended not to hear as she took another glass of champagne.

"This whole thing is just so suspicious," the first voice said.

Adriana noticed a bottle of vodka sitting on a small cart. She was sure it was for the bartender but decided to fill her third empty champagne glass with it. She swallowed it all at once and filled the glass again.

"Hitting the drinks pretty hard, huh?" a familiar voice said in a tone barely above a whisper.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49:

"Stacey?" Adriana nearly choked on her champagne. "What are you doing here?"

"Well that's no way to greet an old friend," Ricard responded. He looked handsome and relaxed. He had a nearly full glass of champagne in his hand that he swirled lightly.

"How are you?" Adriana asked, trying her hardest not to slur her words. She thought back to the last time she had seen or thought of him. He had no scars from his kidnapping, in fact, his face looked smoother than ever.

"Noticing my sleekness?" he smiled and massaged his cheek confidently. "Lasers are amazing."

"Yeah," Adriana said honestly.

"Damn you look good," Ricard said under his breath, nodded and then looked down at her dress.

"Yeah you too," Adriana swallowed the last swig of vodka.

"So what is all this?" he asked in a low voice while facing the crowd of people in the room.

"All what?" Adriana was glad he was looking away because her eyes were half closed and moved around crazily in her head due to her drunkeness.

"You know what I mean," he said, still looking away. "Something's up. You, deciding to marry this guy after knowing him less than a week? You made me wait longer than that to hold you hand."

"You're exaggerating," Adriana leaned on the table to maintain balance.

"I'm not actually," he said. "But you're well worth all the courting and waiting."

"What do you want?" Adriana felt as though he was building up to something.

"How'd you get this guy to marry you?" he smiled and finally turned to face her. "You're either really smart or really dumb. I'm gonna go with smart because I heard you got a eighty-five grand wedding dress."

"He's marrying me because I love him and he loves me," Adriana couldn't finish the sentence before Ricard began to laugh.

"Nah, I think you have him under some strange Ethiopian sexual voodoo," he shook his head and laughed at him self.

"Are you high?" Adriana asked, but then felt silly for questioning his sobriety considering her own tipsiness.

"No, but you're drunk," he moved close enough so that his shoulder touched hers. "And we all know how honest you are when you're like this." He paused as a couple came over to the table to take a couple glasses of champagne and began to talk again after they had walked away. "It's all so mysterious."

"Why do you even care?" Adriana managed to think of a question to ask him. "This has nothing to do with you." She reached for another glass of champagne, nearly knocking several over in the process.

"Oh, really?" he asked. "It does when my kid is involved."

"Your kid?" Adriana choked on the first sip of her new glass of champagne.

"Yeah, I heard you had a kid," he said.

"That's true but he's not yours," Adriana said quickly, unable to drink any more champane because her stomach felt bloated with alcohol.

"Prove it," Ricard said instantly.

"Are you mental? I had him a few weeks ago," Adriana stuggled to keep her voice low. "I got pregnant well after I was through with you. Even if he was your's, he's _mine_."

"Are you sure you're a fit parent? You've been in institutionalized and on numerous prescription-" he started to talk as though he had though of this many times.

"What the hell are you doing? What do you want with a kid? You told me you didn't even want any," Adriana said realizing his intent. "What the fuck do you want to do? Try and take my kid and get child support from me and Bruce? You're out of your mind. And by the way he's _not yours_."

"Damn, you have developed some backbone," he said quickly.

"Leave me alone," Adriana tried to move away from him but he took her arm gently.

"Paternity test," he whispered.

"No," Adriana whispered back. "He's not yours."

"You've gotta prove that," he said.

"Yeah and it'll be a waste of time and money," she snapped.

"Not when there's a billionare-to-be like you involved. I might as well get a paternity test, with that kind of money involved," he said. "It's like the lottery, can't win of you don't play."

"Malicious bastard," Adriana attempted a few more sips of champagne. "Selfish underhanded prick. What the hell was I thinking ever even being with a trifling loser like you?"

"Aw, come on baby don't be like that," he whispered. "We can be partners in this." He caressed her left arm and she slapped his hand away.

"I wouldn't wipe my ass with you," Adriana spat. "I don't even believe you're doing this right now."

"Well," Ricard moved away a bit seeing the extent of her intoxification, "If I'm not the father then who is?"

Adriana was quiet and stared across the room, wishing someone would come over to the table and rescue her.

"Hello? Did you hear me?" he asked, moving closer again. "You were so nice and chatty a few secods ago." Adriana faced him and shook her head slowly, hoping he would get the point to not pry about it. He did get the point, but chose to ignore it.

"So you have all that mouth to talk shit about me but you can't answer a simple question?" he said in disbelief.

"Get away from me right now," Adriana wished she could push him away, but was afraid to stand on her own without the support of the table. "Now, go."

"Tell me who it is and I won't get the paternity test," Ricard asked hoping to take advantage of her drunken state. She didn't answer.

"Leave," she said quietly and faced away from him.

"Oh there's something going on here. Something bigger and I'm going to get to the bottom of it," Ricard sounded excited. "He know?" Ricard nodded to Bruce. Adriana nodded.

"Maybe I should ask _him _then," Ricard took half a step away but Adriana grabbed him back.

"Fine, but he's not going to tell you a _damn_ thing either. What does he have to tell you for? He doesn't know you," Adriana said quickly.

"I'm the father," he smiled.

"Hah!" Adriana said loud enough that a couple people in the crowded room looked in their direction.

"_Who _then? I know you Adriana. You don't sleep around," he thought. "You were never with anyone else!"

"Do you even remember why we broke up?" Adriana immediately wished she could take the question back. Too late, Ricard was deep in thought.

"Yeah, that party, I guess we went our own separate ways," he looked like he was remembering. "That guy you met at the party? Of course."

"I'm going to go find my fiancée, nice talking to you," Adriana was blocked by him as she attempted to walk away.

"Who was it? I knew everyone at that party!" he asked enthusiastically. "I know who he is, don't I?

"YES. You know who he is, but you will never figure out who he is in a million years so leave it alone. Stop wasting your energy and mine. I'll let you get your stupid ass paternity test, but then I never want to see you again," Adriana said before attempting to walk away again but was blocked this time by two men coming to take champagne from the nearly empty table.

"Gotham isn't that kind of city but he deserves it," a balding short man said. Ricard moved closer to Adriana and out of their way. "This way we truly won't have to worry again."

"I thought he'd get life too, or sent to Arkham at the very least," the second man said.

"He kidnapped me and sliced my face open so you can imagine I'm happy too," Ricard laughed instantly distracted by the men's discussion, and turned to Adriana who was feeling faint and couldn't get her feet to move. "You must be too, he was after you," Ricard suddenly remembered while looking at Adriana.

"Sweetest words in Gotham this all year: Sentenced to death by lethal injection!" the short man touched champagne glasses with Ricard who was still facing Adriana.

"You okay?" Ricard asked, but she didn't respond as the room, in her vision became darker and darker until it fell completely black.


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50:

The smell of a strong and familiar cologne woke Adriana from her drunken slumber. She had only been out a few minutes but was still confused.

"What-" Adriana started to sit up on the bed that Ricard had just placed her on.

"Don't sit up," he pushed her back down onto the bed. "You passed out. No more champagne for you tonight."

"Who saw?" Adriana asked, ignoring his command to lay down.

"Just two people," he replied. "Luckily the door to this room was right next to where you fell and luckily I was there to catch you or you would have hit the floor."

"What where's," Adriana struggled to make her incredibly slurred voice understandable. "Bruce? Wha...Bruce?"

"I'll go get him," Ricard said and left the room. He returned less than a minute later with Bruce.

"Bruce," Adriana said starting to stand. "I'm so sorry." She started to heave and before she could let out a second gush of air Ricard had placed an empty ice bucket in front of her face. The vodka burned intensely on the way up.

"You passed out," Bruce said repeating what Ricard had told him on their walk over to the room.

"Yeah I had a lot of," Adriana fought to focus in her heavy intoxication. "Drink."

"I can tell," Bruce kneeled in front of her at the end of the bed that she sat on.

Adriana tried to remember what had happened and burst into tears when she remembered what she had heard. She leaned over Bruce's shoulder to cry and Ricard stared dumbfounded. She calmed a few minutes later but Ricard's gaze of amazement at her tearful outburst remained.

"It's okay," Bruce massaged her arms unsure of what he was comforting her about. "Would you give us a few minutes sir?"

"Sure," Ricard looked at Adriana whose face was hidden in Bruce's shoulder and facing away from him. She sounded out of breath from crying. Ricard felt a tiny sensation of discomfort watching her with such openess and closeness to someone else. He started to wonder if this relationship was actually real and left the room quickly.

"What's wrong?" Bruce asked. Her head was still on his right shoulder with her face buried in his shirt. Adriana truly wanted to answer but swallowed the words in her attemts. She hoped that it was just a dream.

"Lethal," she managed to say into his shoulder. "Injection." The words were muffled but he heard them clearly.

Bruce moved the strong smelling ice bucket and took Adriana's face gently in his hands. Nearly all of the makeup she was wearing had been removed into his crisp white shirt.

"Oh no," Adriana looked as though she was going to explode into tears again at the sight of the mess she had made on the previously spotless fabric.

"It's okay, it's okay," Bruce calmed her quickly. "Do you want to leave?"

"Yes," Adriana replied. She dropped her head onto the stain in Bruce's shirt again. She allowed herself to feel the thoughts of the people in the outside room. They were wondering where she and Bruce had gone. Their opinions of her were strong. They found her distant and standoffish and wondered how Bruce, a very private person but at times a social butterly, could marry someone so withdrawn and solitary. Many assumed Bruce wanted her for her looks and merely intended to have her as a trophy wife so her reclusive personality was of no importance.

"Please can we leave now," Adriana said in monotone.

"Of course," Bruce answered. Adriana could feel in his thoughts that he didn't want to leave or have to explain to his guests why he and his wife-to-be had to make such an early departure. "I'll be right back."

Bruce left the room and Adriana lay back on the bed again. Ricard entered the room a few minutes later and saw her depressed angle and started to leave.

"What do you want?" Adriana said with her eyes closed. Ricard almost wondered how she knew it was him in the room.

"I know you're not in the best sorts right now," he started cautiously. "But I'll still be needing that paternity test."

"Fine," she said. "Let my fiancee know and he'll set everything up."

"Why do I need to let him know?" Ricard asked immediately. Adriana smiled at his imtimidation at asking Bruce about any of this.

"We can go now," Bruce said as he entered the room, pretending mild surprise at seeing Ricard in the room again.

"This is Stacey Ricard, a friend of mine," Adriana felt an odd happiness at how drunk she sounded while introducing Ricard. Bruce nodded to Ricard who looked like he wanted to excape. "He wants a paternity test for Adrian."

"Oh?" Bruce looked genuinely surprised.

"Uh," Ricard looked nervous. "Yeah, I suppose, you know-"

"That's fine," Bruce said confidently and looked like he wanted to smile when he saw Adriana smiling in pride at how Ricard recoiled. Ricard's look shot back and forth from Adriana to Bruce in overwhelming suspicion. "We'll contact you."

"Okay," Ricard said making his way to the door. "Uh..thanks."

"You ready to go, love?" Bruce asked Adriana who laughed silently.

"Yeah," she stood feeling more stable than before. Bruce spoke to everyone on the way out so that Adriana didn't have to. Harri had spent the entire time flirting with the bartender and looked like she wanted to stay but left with them anyway. They got in the elevator and went up to the top floor.

"Where are we going?" Harri asked when she saw Bruce his the top button.

"Roof," he answered. Adriana leaned against him feeling wobbly as the elevator moved.

"Why?" Adriana asked, not moving her head from against his arm.

"We're going to fly back," Bruce explained simply as they ascended to the roof to see a loud and windy atmostphere surrounding the hellicopter.

They coasted over the city in silence. Though lights shone in Gotham, the city still appeared more dark and gloomy than the pitch black wilderness around it.

"Adri, you okay?" Harri asked Adriana who had cleaned her face but still couldn't hide the fact that she had been crying from her sister. Adriana shook her head.

"What am I going to tell my son?" Adriana's voice shook. "I thought I'd have to explain that his father was in prison or asylum...but now.."

"Shhh," Bruce wrapped and arm around her. She forgot what she was talking about when his strength and calm enveloped her.

"When?" Adriana managed to recall what she was speaking on.

"Ten days from now," Harri answered. Adriana's eyes closed slowly as she tried to recollect her dizzy drunken mind. She appeared overly calm which caused Harri and Bruce to wonder what she was thinking. Adriana was sure she heard Harri say the words 'ten days'. But what was ten days really? Her intoxicated mind wanted to tell her that she sun would rise and set ten times, and that was what ten days meant. But surely that wasn't correct because no one was put onto death row for such a short time. But earlier today, the first thing she thought of when she woke up was that she would be marrying Bruce in fifteen days. Christmas was in a few days, Bruce had said this morning.

"No," Adriana said simply. "No." She said the words in an authorative enough voice that this whole situation should change, she convinced her mind.

"I'm sorry, Adri," Harri said.

"No," Adriana shook her head lightly. She could change the universe, her dizzy swirling mind told her. Her son's father couldn't and wouldn't die.


	51. Chapter 51

**Wow, I was not expecting my story to be soooo long winded haha, I think I just like writing too much!**

* * *

><p>Chapter 51:<p>

"You should sleep," Bruce said to Adriana as she struggled to figure out how to open the door to Adrian's room due to her mind being faded by alcohol.

"Okay," Adriana dropped her hands from the doorknob, dissapointed. She took a long shower and decided to sleep alone in her rarely used room.

The sun shone brighter than it had in weeks on Christmas Eve morning. Adriana woke with a massive headache and fierce dehydration. Her eyes felt dry and she could only keep them open to the brightness of the room for a few seconds before she had to close them again. Adrian screemed in joy and his crisp bell-like voice filled the halls. Adriana wanted to get up to go his room to be with him and Harri but she felt crippled. She finally was able to move after a few more hours of sleep. The sun was slightly less brilliant and Adrian had already fallen asleep for a nap.

"Good afternoon," Harri said as she laid Adrian in his crib. "You look proper hungover."

"I am," Adriana said, still fighting to keep her eyes open. They felt like they were filled with sand. "I'm never drinking again."

"Yeah, you say that now," Harri laughed.

"No, I'm serious," Adriana said. "Where's Bruce?"

"Left for work this morning," Harri said while watching Adrian sleeping.

"Oh," Adriana sighed.

"Are you okay?" Harri asked peacefully.

"Yup," Adriana lied. She watched the beauty of a few fresh snowflakes tumble around the leafless trees outside. The sun glared harshly through the window, flashing from behind thick empty swaying branches.

In that calm moment Adriana realized that she was, in fact, okay. She realized that she was better than okay. The reason why she was truly fine was her knowledge that, at least for now, she had Bruce. She didn't mind anything else. Even if the world crumbled around them and even if every other person she encountered for the rest of her life hated her, she would still be beaming underneath it all. Suddenly, she wanted everything about her to change. She wanted Bruce to know exactly how wonderful he made everything, even though she knew she would never truly be able to thank him enough.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Harri asked Adriana.

"Because I'm happy," Adriana replied. "I'm so blessed, Harri."

She wanted to be everything for Bruce, like he had been in her times of need, even though she knew she would never be able to provide him with as much as he had for her. She would never be able to come through for him as he did, so faithful and dependable. She was overwhelmed all at once with how proud she was of him and everything he did, everything he was, and everything he was responsible for. In her mind, she told her self she would try her hardest to never cry in front of him again. After all he had done and given, the last thing she wanted to do was anything that wouldn't show him that she was grateful, like crying.

Bruce was surprised the instant he arrived at Wayne Manor that night. Adriana looked as though she was about to rupture from joy the very moment that she saw him. She ran over to him and threw her arms around his neck in the most generous embrace he had ever recieved.

"How are you? Are you hungry?" Adriana asked Bruce before he could ask why she was so happy.

"I'm good," Bruce replied with obvious surprise.

"Are you hungry?" Adriana asked while walking arm in arm with Bruce to the kitchen.

"Yes," he answered. "Why are you so happy?"

"Because I love you," Adriana said as she prepared his first plate. He watched her in curiosity as he ate, wondering how it was possible for someone to become so gloriously joyful from just watching someone else eat.

She later took his clothes and ran him a bath, with immense enthusiasm. Her body moved with to do these things with lively energy completely inspired and motivated by admiration.

"You're awfully happy," Bruce said to her when they were finally in bed.

"I know," Adriana said, wishing that he would ask her for something, anything at all that she could happily do for him. She felt like she finally realized that he must be under an enormous amount of pressure and stress every single day, no matter how solid and unmovable he seemed. No one knew that it was he who had done so much for Gotham and he continued to do so without any recognition. Being his calm and the one to praise him made her happy. All he had to do was come home to her so that she could absorb his stress and give him the glorification he deserved. And for that, she would be there night after night.

Her new enlightenment inspired her to kiss him with powerful celebration.

"What are you doing?" Bruce asked in a voice lighter than the still air around them as her hands moved to undress him.

"What does it look like?" Adriana asked.

"Aren't you supposed to be waiting six weeks?" Bruce questioned.

"Well yea," Adriana continued to move the fabrics covering his body. "But I think four weeks is long enough."

"I think you should listen to the doctor," Bruce said, moving her hand from his hip up to his chest.

"What?" Adriana asked, wondering if he was really serious. "But Bruce.."

"Hm?" Bruce said with his eyes closed.

"We're getting married," Adriana said, wishing he would open his eyes and look at her.

"Mhm," Bruce said pleasantly.

"Well how can we get married if we haven't even-" Adriana paused when she realized that the date of their wedding was exactly six weeks after she had Adrian. "You did that on purpose."

"Yeah," he said.

"That's silly," Adriana replied. "But it's okay. Whatever you want."

Bruce opened his eyes again nearly startled by the new look in hers. Her gaze was filled with something Bruce couldn't identify as being anything else but sheer worship.

"I love you," Bruce whispered as she dropped her head onto his chest.

She was dissapointed that she had to wait, but it was what he wanted and nothing could shake her newfound bliss.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52:

Part 1:

"Mom and Dad are coming, but they won't be getting here until the day of the wedding," Harri said to Adriana. They were sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace stuffed from Christmas dinner. The day had been wonderfully calm and uneventful. Adrian was showered with enough gifts for ten children and he would outgrow most of the clothes he had recieved before he had the opportunity to wear them all.

"I'm glad they can come on such short notice," Adriana said. "Aww, you're getting hungry." Adriana enjoyed her gift when she could see into Adrian's mind and know when to feed him before he could cry.

"Don't forget you have that thing tomorrow," Harri reminded Adriana about going into the city the following day to give Ricard his pointless paternity test. Bruce had followed through and contacted Ricard promptly to set up the appointment.

"You might have to remind me again tomorrow," Adriana sighed as she fed Adrian and watched his eyes glowing in the light of the flames from the fireplace.

"I can't wait to be a mommy too," Harri said as she watched in awe.

"Did you tell mom and dad yet?" Adriana asked.

"No, I'm going to wait until I get to three months, you know. Since this is the riskiest time," Harri answered. "Did you tell mom and dad anything yet?"

"About what?" Adriana asked distracted by how carefully Harri asked the question.

"Well when I talked to them earlier, it just left me with the impression that they don't even know that they're grandparents yet," Harri said.

"Wow," Adriana was shocked as she realized that her parent's didn't even know that Adrian existed.

"I figured that," Harri sighed and slid her cell phone across the carpet to Adriana.

"But what do I tell them?" Adriana said as she used her free hand to pick it up. "I know, I'll just tell them I was irresponsible and promiscuous and that I don't know who the father is."

"There's no way they'd believe that," Harri laughed. "Coming from me maybe, but from you definitely not!"

"So what do I say?" Adriana pleaded.

"Sperm bank?" Harri laughed at Adriana's desperation.

"Fine," Adriana took the suggestion seriously. Adriana couldn't remember her mother's number from memory so she looked it up in Harri's contacts list.

"Harri, how are you sweetheart?" Adriana heard her mother's vibrant voice on the other line. She sounded like she was in a crowded restaurant.

"It's Adriana," Adriana responded.

"Adri!" her mother beamed. The voices of the crowd surrounding her got quieter for a few seconds following her outburst. "How are you? We're coming to the wedding and we can't wait to meet our son in law!"

"I'm okay," Adriana wanted to hurry and get to the point. "I have a baby mom, you and dad are grandparents."

"Oh congradulation's baby! How far along are you?" Adriana's mother's voice grew faint as she turned to Adriana's father to tell him the news.

"I had him already. He's here now," Adriana said.

"So when are you due?" her mother asked confused.

"I had him a month ago," Adriana said slowly so her mother could catch on.

"You're a month pregnant?" she asked. "Tell Bruce-"

"Mom-" Adriana said.

"His name is Bruce, yes? Tell him congradulations for us ok?" Adriana's mother sounded distracted. "I have to go now but I'll see you in a couple weeks okay?"

"Mom, I had him already. He's nearly five weeks old, I'm breastfeeding him right now," Adriana wondered if there was another way she could explain.

"Oh my!" Adriana's mother exclaimed, once again silencing the crowd. "You didn't tell me anything! You never call!"

"I know," Adriana apologized. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," her mother's voice softened. "Is he Bruce's son?"

"No-" Adriana looked at Harri. "I...had a donor."

"Aw, dear," a sympathetic tone resonated. "It would be hard having a baby on your own. I'm glad you're getting married, what's his name?"

"Adrian," Adriana answered.

"I love him already we can't wait to see him!"

Part 2:

"We'll have the results for you in about 90 minutes," a nurse said to Adriana and Ricard. They sat in a tiny bright room and Ricard couldn't take his eyes off of Adrian. Adriana willed herself to not read his thoughts and distracted herself by lightly pushing Adrian's stroller back and forth to keep him calm since he seemed uncomfortable with leaving home for the first time to be in this bright cold room and wanted to cry.

"He's cute," Ricard said after the nurse had gone.

"All babies are cute," Adriana said dismissively.

"Nah, some of them are ugly. Like little old wrinkled aliens," Ricard said. "But you have a cute one. I hope he's mine."

"Okay," Adriana saw Ricard's dissapointment at her lack of amusement. She didn't want to spend the next 90 minutes of her life sitting there listening to him talk.

"I'm glad you remembered," Ricard said.

"Actually I didn't remember anything," Adriana said. "If Bruce hadn't called you, then you just wouldn't have been called."

"I would have reminded you," Ricard assured her. "No way I'd let you forget this."

"Whatever," Adriana leaned her arm on a table on her right and rested her head on her hand. She closed her eyes and ignored him.

"So.." Ricard started talking again and Adriana let out a huge forced breath to show her annoyance.

"What?" she snapped with her eyes still closed.

"You can still come and see him when I get custody," his voice sounded like he was trying to rattle her cage.

"Okay," Adriana said, not giving him the satisfaction he wanted.

"So who's the father," he leaned as close as he could to her and her hand moved to hit him and she didn't miss even though her eyes were closed.

"I should sue you for that," he laughed. "Who's the father?"

"Can you please shut up? I'm trying to take a nap," Adriana said. Adrian had been sleeping less the past few days and she found herself trying to get what little sleep she could at the same time he slept.

"So who's-" Ricard's voice annoyed Adriana and grated in her ear.

"Bottom line is," Adriana looked at him. "Like I told you before; Not YOU. I'm fixing to take a nap so can you shut up now?"

"No," Ricard leaned back in his seat and looked at Adrian who was awake again. "He doesn't look like me."

"No shit," Adriana said.

"But he's good-looking enough to me mine," Ricard began sounding proud.

"Look, he doesn't have any relation to you. No Ricard DNA, Ricard genes, Ricard residue-" Adriana started.

"Residue?" Ricard now sounded offended.

"Ricard anything, no Ricard anything in his blood okay?" Adriana quieted her voice when she saw that Adrian was awake and looking at her.

"I'll just start guessing," Ricard looked at Adrian closely. "James? James Brennt?" Ricard though Adrian's smooth hair reminded him of the man but the rest of his feature's didn't. His features were familiar but he couldn't place them.

"Goddd," Adriana said dramatically. "Have mercy on my soul, I can't take this much annoyance!"

Ricard had gone quiet as he stared at Adrian. Adriana easily acessed his mind and saw that he nearly wanted to laugh at himself for thinking that the child looked like the Joker. The resemblance was uncanny and nearly identical and once Ricard had the image of the Joker in his mind as he had seen him many times, in questioning without makeup, he couldn't erase it. Adriana began to feel paranoid for a second as Ricard thoroughly convinced himself that the child looked like no one else.

Her thoughts calmed as he finally broke his gaze at Adrian and turned to look at her. When looking at the boy he could only think of one possible resemblance. But when he looked at Adriana the insane situation didn't make sense. She was amazingly polished in a pair of black leather pants and a fashionable leather jacket. Her hair was a few inches past hip length, silky and full and she looked healthier and more radiant than he had ever seen her. She had the face of a goddess and the idea of her and the Joker was impossible..she was just too beautiful. He pushed the silly idea to the back of his mind and continued to try to see if his memory would allow him to think of someone else who the baby could possibly look like.

"Hmm.." Ricard hummed before going silent for the remainder of their wait.

Adriana fell asleep for nearly an hour and woke up again the instant the woman returned to the room.

"I have your results here," she said nicely. She opened a large file envelope and removed a few sheets of paper and laid them on the tall table near the door. "Well the test has shown by certainty of 99.9% that you, Mr. Ricard are not a match."

"Okay," Ricard said sounding more dissapointed than Adriana thought he would. "Thank you."

"No problem," the woman said sweetly before leaving the room again and informing them that she would be back to give them both a copy of the results.

"You can tell me, you know. I won't tell anyone," Ricard said in an artificially sweet voice after she was gone.

"I had a donor. Sperm bank," Adriana said hoping to shut him up. He looked like he didn't believe her but continued anyway.

"Do you know what I was thinking earlier?" Ricard asked.

"I don't really care," Adriana considered leaving without the papers. She stood up to put on her coat again and Ricard went on talking.

"I was thinking he looks like the clown," Ricard said as he was captivated again by Adrian's similarity. "The Joker."

"Oh?" Adriana sounded like she was ignoring him again as she wrapped her scarf around her neck quickly.

"I mean," Ricard sounded apologetic. "He's a gorgeous baby, I didn't mean any harm by that. You know what he looks like, you've seen him. Don't you see a little resemblance?"

"No," Adriana said and sat down to cover Adrian again before they had to go outside to the cold windy day.

"Did you really use a donor? Was it anonymous?" Ricard still wanted anwers. "Damn, you should get this checked out. I can have his DNA here in minutes."

"Ugh," Adriana wished she hadn't told him the lie about a donor. "No, Ricard there was no donor okay? I met someone, we were together a few months, I have a kid, it's over now."

"But you know he's thinking the same as I'm thinking. Money," Ricard tried to convince her. "Everyone knows you're marrying Wayne. He's going to take your kid and get _paid_."

"No he's not," Adriana said.

"How can you be so sure?" Ricard asked.

"WHY are you irritating me so much right now?" Adriana raised her voice. "Like, are you recieving payment for getting on my nerves? Are you getting some kind of stimulus check for this?"

"No," Ricard looked like he wanted to laugh.

"Okay, so why do you feel obligated to be such a damn bother!" Adriana calmed when the door opened again and the woman quickly handed both of them folders. She was used to hearing arguing after delivering paternity test results and paid them no mind. Adriana left before he could answer.


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 52:

Part 1:

"You're perfectly fine," Dr. Nathan said to Adriana who had set up an appointment with him the same day. "It's not necessary for you to abstain anymore."

"Great," Adriana said happily. "I wanted to talk to you about something else too."

"Of course," Dr. Nathan said pleasantly.

"Okay," Adriana started. "Well I was just thinking, I don't think I want any more children any time soon."

"Would you like birth control?" the doctor asked.

"Sure," Adriana said, but then remembered how insanely emotional birth control made her. "I hate the hormones though."

"Well if you don't want hormones you could have a non-hormonal intrauterine device put in," Dr. Nathan explained. "It's made of copper and will last you for several years."

"When can I get it?" Adriana asked.

"Today if you wish," Dr. Nathan replied.

"Fantastic," Adriana said relieved.

Part 2:

"Ouch," Adriana said as quietly as possible after the curling iron touched her wrist. She examined the minor burn and ran cool water over it for a few seconds. She spent nearly another hour in the bathroom perfecting her hair and makeup trying to make herself as flawless and irresistable as possible.

"Adriana!" Bruce called from the bedroom.

"What?" Adriana yelled back not feeling quite perfect enough yet.

"Phone!" Bruce said he looked at Adriana's silent glowing phone. "Want me to answer?"

"Yeah," Adriana said from the bathroom, wondering who could possibly be calling and hoping they would hang up and leave her and Bruce alone.

"Adriana come and get the phone!" Bruce said.

Adriana stood up and backed away from her new bathroom vanity and covered her pink satin négligée in her robe before going to the bedroom to get the phone.

"Who is it?" Adriana whispered from the doorway.

"May I ask who's calling?" Bruce said into the phone with his eyebrows raised in surprise at Adriana's angelic appearance. "Ricard."

Adriana walked over to Bruce who didn't make any attempt to hide his curiosity about why she was so done up. She took the phone gently and started to walk back to the bathroom.

"How did you get this number?" Bruce heard her say before she closed the bathroom door again.

"It was on my paperwork," Ricard replied.

"Well what do you want?" Adriana said as she re-applied lip gloss. She smacked her lips together until the shine looked natural.

"Are you blowing me kisses?" Ricard asked amused.

"No," Adriana said. "I'm going to hang up in ten seconds so what do you want?"

"I just," Ricard sounded like he was thinking hard. "Wanted to apologize...for what I said you know?"

"Apology accepted, bye," Adriana said.

"I'm really sorry," Ricard continued. "I know sometimes I talk without thinking so I'm sorry..You have a beautiful kid-"

"I'm busy now," Adriana said while using her index finger to remove any stray lip gloss.

"Doing what?" Ricard asked as he flipped through papers. "Doing makeup?"

"How did you know?" Adriana asked, genuinely interested.

"Because that's what it sounds like you're doing," he replied. "Going out? It's late."

"No, I have to make myself beautiful," Adriana said as she put on another layer of mascara. "I'm trying to get some and you ruined my surprise by calling."

"Damn," Ricard's paper shuffling stopped. "You have to go through all that?"

"I'm hanging up now," Adriana said.

"You already look beautiful," Ricard kep talking. "Come over here, you don't have to wear an ounce of makeup for me."

"You know I'm engaged right?" Adriana held the phone between her ear and shoulder as she attatched her thigh high pantyhose to the garter belt.

"Yeah but I also heard you say that you're _trying _to get some," Ricard went on. "That's nonsense..If I was that guy you wouldn't have to try for shit-"

"Bye Ricard," Adriana hung up the phone and left the bathroom.

She stood quietly in the doorway watching Bruce until he closed his laptop and sat it on the nightstand. She approached him slowly and he looked up after rubbing his eyes.

"Wow," Bruce said as he noticed her in the dark. "Well, well."

Adriana said nothing as she walked over to the bed and sat on top of him. He stopped her in movements so fluid that she barely noticed when her lips separated from him.

"Bruce.." Adriana couldn't prevent the whining tone in her voice. "Dr. Nathan was here earlier while you were at work and he says I'm perfectly fine."

"You can't wait a week?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah but," She continued to kiss him and move his clothing until she felt him stopping her again. After pushing herself off of him she lay on her back and began to kick her feet furiously up into the air in rage until she became tired.

"Are you having a seizure?" Bruce asked after the tantrum had settled.

"No," Adriana said out of breath and put a pillow over her face in embarrasment. Bruce turned off the light and pulled her close to him until she began to drift into sleep while full of disbelief that she could be so satisfied in just his nearness.

"Why did Ricard call you?" Bruce asked and Adriana wondered if she was dreaming yet.

"To get on my nerves," Adriana said and the sound of her voice made her realize that she was still awake.

"Oh?" Bruce said.

"Yeah he wanted to apologize.." Adriana's mind fogged as she went into a hazy half-sleep.

"For what?" Bruce asked now wide awake.

"For saying Adrian looks like the Joker," Adriana said.

"What?" Bruce sat up.

"Yeah, that's what he said," Adriana said calmly.

"Really?" Bruce wondered.

"Yup," Adriana said. "Amazed me..I mean they look alike but.."

"It's because he's a cop.." Bruce reasoned. "The average person wouldn't think that, but he's used to seeing him without makeup..know's what he looks like.. plus he's afraid of him."

"Yeah," Adriana said before she finally slept.

Part 3:

Adriana vowed to be patient and accepted the anticipation as well as she could. The next few days were full of wedding rehersals and preparation. The chapel was small and intimate which impressed Adriana. Everything was being taken care of by a wedding planner who worked quickly and did everything exactly the way that Adriana wanted.

"I cant wait," Adriana said after their second practice.

"You've told me a dozen times," Bruce replied with a smile.

Instead of being frustrated with Bruce's waiting Adriana calmed herself by reaching into his mind as much as she could. She could see it very clearly that he wanted and loved her more than anything else in the world and had nothing but high respect for her. He knew that she had likely seen the numerous women from his past, which she had, and his lack of seriousness and appreciation for what they had given him. He wanted this to be different and wanted to honor her in every way possible though she felt she didn't deserve it.

Bruce spent most of his time at home with Adrian who grew to look more and more like his father everyday.

"He's going to get _spoiled_," Adriana complained to Bruce. "He's never going to let anyone sit him down if you hold him all the time!"

"No he won't," Bruce said to Adrian who was waving his arms around energetically.

"I can't believe the wedding is in just six days," Adriana said forgetting all about Adrian becoming spoiled rotten.

"I know," Bruce swayed happily with Adrian. "I can't believe it either." Bruce reached into his pocket as his phone vibrated softly. He looked at it and then quickly tucked it away before handing Adrian to Adriana.

"What was that?" Adriana said. "Must've been important since you let go of Adrian," Adriana laughed.

"Just an incident at one of the prisons," Bruce replied dismissively but Adriana could see through his thoughts that it had something to do with the Joker, but she ignored it.

"Alright, well see you later," Adriana said as Bruce left.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54:

"I missed you," Adriana said when Bruce returned to Wayne Manor.

"I was only gone three hours," Bruce said happily.

"So what," Adriana said while taking his coat. "What happened?"

"A few prisoners went missing," Bruce said. "They were found."

"Where were they?" Adriana asked curiously.

"They had excaped the prison walls but were tied up like hostages," Bruce answered.

"Oh," Adriana shook her head feeling like she had heard enough.

"He kidnapped them but they're alright," Bruce explained.

"So he left the prison too?" Adriana asked confused but not wanting explanation.

"No," Bruce said. "He did it to get me there."

"For what?" Adriana wondered why the Joker would want to see Bruce.

"He wants to see you," Bruce answered.

"Why?" Adriana suddenly felt devistated as she realized that he had fewer than 48 hours to live. For some reason he wanted to see her and she honestly didn't want to see him. She felt so strong while away from him..or at least she thought it was strength.

"Want's to ask you something," Bruce said.

"Ask me what?"

"He didn't tell me what."

"So what am I supposed to do? Go see him during visiting hours?" Adriana laughed.

"No," Bruce said as he entered the bathroom in his bedroom and went to get a floss pick. "At your house tomorrow night."

"No way," Adriana dismissed it. "So he's going to break out?"

"He's already been breaking out," Bruce said as though it was obvious.

"Are you coming with me?" Adriana's heard pounded.

"I'm not going to be in the country tomorrow night," Bruce reminded her that he had business in Tokyo for the next night into the following morning.

"Why are you so calm?" Adriana asked Bruce as she grew more and more frustrated. She was full of anxiety.

"Adriana it's nothing," Bruce said. "Just go see what he wants."

"Fine," Adriana nodded. She was strong now and everything was so different. She would answer whatever questions he had for her and then leave and never see him again.


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55:

Part 1:

"I liked the first one better," Harri answered Adriana honestly about the second hair style the stylist had done on her hair.

"Yeah me too," Adriana said. "I think she want's to try another style but her arms are getting tired."

"That's because you have three feet of hair," Harri laughed.

"No, it's like two and a half..maybe 30 inches," Adriana said as she considered a haircut. "First style is fine, whatever."

"I'll go tell the stylist you liked the first one so she can get home. It's getting late," Harri said and then left the room. She returned with an enormous piece of cake,

"Want some cake?" she asked Adriana who looked in the mirron at herself, dazed.

"Huh?" Adriana looked at the cake with no appeal. "No, thanks though."

"You dont want cake?" Harri asked in shock. "Something's wrong."

Adriana wished she could explain her racing jumpled and emotional thoughts to Harri. It would be so much easier with someone to understand.

"Just thinking about me..and Bruce...wedding," Adriana said. "I love him.."

"So what's wrong then?" Harri asked as she dug into the cake. "This is really good. I'm glad we got a sample before the wedding."

"Nothing," Adriana lied as her thoughts continued to spin. She would have to pay a visit to Sidi and Aymara tomorrow morning although they said she wasn't to come back.

"Just go," Bruce said to Adriana that night as he wiped his face in the bathroom . "Take Adrian with you and I guarantee they won't kick you out."

"Good idea," Adriana said as she ran a brush through her hair in front of the mirror. "What time are you leaving tomorrow?"

"What?" Adriana asked Bruce after he didn't answer. She paused mid-length while brushing the left side of her hair to see that he was staring at her with a subtle look of joy in his eyes.

"Thank you," Bruce said then walked behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head on her shoulder.

"For what?" Adriana asked while she kept brushing.

"Giving me a home," Bruce said. "For changing this dead crumbling place...that was lifeless before you came here. For giving me completion. For...a family."

Part 2:

Adriana entered Sidi and Aymara's fragrant house without knocking. The living room was full of the rich aroma of a spicy dish cooking mixed with incence. Adriana closed the door lightly as Aymara came into the dining room from the kitchen, carrying a large dish of rice.

"My, my!" Aymara explaimed. Sidi came in behind her and sat another fragrant dish down on the table.

"Girl...wherever it is that you are coming from," Sidi started. "You better _get _back there. I said no more."

"Aw, mommy look at the baby!" Aymara ran over to where Adriana had sat his carseat. Sidi was immediately distracted and walked over too.

Aymara picked him up joyfully and looked at him with happiness. She rocked him slowly and started to whisper to him about how beautiful he was.

"Let me hold him now," Sidi said impatiently.

"I just picked him up!" Aymara complained.

"Now," Sidi said while scooping Adrian from Aymara's arms. Sidi's harsh attitude calmed and she smiled at Adrian who was moving his tiny hand to touch her sparkling earring which was out of his reach. Sidi took the small palm in hers and closed her eyes. "Gifted."

"What?" Adriana asked Sidi. She sat down in one of the chairs in the dining room and pulled off her boots.

"He will be gifted like you are now but much milder..Able to see thoughts if he tries to and learns how to," Sidi explained. "He will be raised by a powerful man and will be a great force himself."

Adriana was somewhat relived to hear that Adrian would only hear the thoughts that he wanted to. She didn't want him to live a depressed life of fogged isolation madness. Aymara looked at Sidi with Adrian as though she wanted him back but Sidi ignored her.

"I supposed you wanna know what will happen with you?" Sidi asked.

"Yes," Adriana answered. Aymara looked as excited as a child on Christmas morning when Sidi handed Adrian back to her.

"Fine," Sidi said and took a seat across from Adriana. She took Adriana's hands quickly and closed her eyes again. Adriana looked at the dishes of food and inhaled deeply. Her eyes drifted closed and her curiousity, for the first time, tossed her into Sidi's mind as she looked into the future. Sidi had no knowlege of this and Adriana sat stunned by what she saw...and felt. She felt more than she saw and wondered how Sidi could make sense of the mind boggling flow of emotions. Adriana withdrew herself from Sidi's mind and waited patiently for her to speak.

"Well...your destiny has never been so clear," Sidi said in honesty.

"Really?" Adriana asked wondering how crazy the images and emotions were before when her future was changing so constantly that it drove Sidi to tell her to never come back.

"Yes," Sidi answered. "I see a death soon." Sidi spoke as if she was reading facts from a book.

"Oh," Adriana exhaled.

"A man from your past," Sidi said. "You will experience some sadness but will not mourn him long."

"Okay," Adriana said. Sidi began to frown, still looking at the visions in her closed eyes.

"Your life will change. You will put a great responsibility in someone else's hands but please realize that it is for the best. You will spend your life with a man who loves you and will surprise you _greatly..._he will be a protector and a teacher and you will never be more satisfied. You will hurt someone in a powerful way but your sacrifice will soften the blow. Follow your _heart _and not your mind...do not be ashamed of your weakness."

Sidi stopped and opened her eyes.

"You are very lucky," Sidi said. "I see great bliss and beautiful moments. They do not come without sacrifice."

"I'm lucky?" Adriana wanted to laugh at that.

"This man," Sidi paused as if bedazzled. "Is realizing his love for you. He will appreciate you for the rest of his life...You are very lucky."

"That sounds wonderful," Adriana sighed. "But why did you tell me to not be ashamed?"

"Because that is how you will get this life of..." Sidi thought for a few moments. "That bliss and freedom. You will miss someone but you realize you made the right decision."

"But why would I be ashamed?" Adriana asked again.

"What are you asking me for?" Sidi asked in a raised tone as she used a large spoon to put rice on her plate. "You of that strong walled-up mind, I cannot see much! I just know that the bliss will come when you show no shame and just let your life happen!"

"Oh," Adriana said.

"Now eat," Sidi said as she put the full plate in front of Adriana.


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56:

"Did you have fun today?" Harri asked when she took Adrian when they came home.

"He got a lot of attention, that's for sure," Adriana answered.

"Aww, I bet you did," Harri said to Adrian who smiled like he knew what they were talking about. "I'm gonna miss you soo much when I go back home."

"When do you have to leave?" Adriana asked Harri.

"Day afer the wedding," Harri said. "Used up all of my vacation time so then I have to go back to work."

"I wish you could stay," Adriana said, noticing Adrian looked like he was going to fall asleep. "Time for a nap."

"I'll take him upstairs," Harri offered.

"Thanks," Adriana said and went to the kitchen for a drink.

"Are you hungry?" Harri asked when she came back downstairs. "Julia cooked a lot."

"No," Adriana answered, content with iced tea. "I just ate a ton of food. Did Bruce leave already?"

"Yeah," Harri said. "Like ten minutes before you came in. He was telling me about you going to see...you know, tonight."

"Mhm," Adriana nodded. "Do you wanna go with me?" Adriana hoped Harri would say yes so she could have some company.

"Uh," Harri thought for a second. "No way."

"Please," Adriana asked. "You could just stay in the car if you want."

"He creeps me out," Harri said. "I'll stay here with Adrian. You really shouldn't even be going. What could he possibly want now? Isn't he supposed to be executed tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Adriana felt a twinge of pain in her chest.

"Adri, I love you," Harri walked around to the table where Adriana sat. Her thoughts were clear as she wondered what Adriana could have been thinking, being with him for all of those months. Maybe it was part of a nervous breakdown.

"I didn't have a nervous breakdown, Harri," Adriana said. Harri was unmoved by Adriana's response to her thoughts.

"So _why_ then? You put youself in so much danger with this," Harri said. "And for no reason."

"I didn't feel like I was in danger at all until he found out about why I was in asylum," Adriana said staring off into the hallway into the dining room.

"I don't believe that," Harri said. "Not for one second."

"Why not?" Adriana said, still staring.

"Did you seriously just ask me 'why not'?" Harri asked. "Because he's a maniac killer maybe? Because he's a terrorist maybe? Because he kidnapped me maybe?"

"Oh," Adriana managed to say while chewing on an ice cube from her tea.

"So when you were with him, you expect me to believe you never had any problems?" Harri asked and waited for a response.

* * *

><p><em>"Is that what I think it is?" Adriana looked at a small item rolling around on her kitchen floor as she sat a large bag of food on the table.<em>

_"It's harmless," the Joker said as he picked up the hand grenade and tossed it into the trash can. "Better?"_

_"No way," Adriana said wishing he would take the grenade outside. "Unlit dynamite, fine, but that can't be in here."_

_"Fine," he reached into the trashcan and removed it. "Don't start yelling." He left the house for nearly twenty minutes and came back looking irritated._

_"I don't yell," Adriana said when he entered the house again. She had finished bringing in the multiple bags of food from her car and was halfway finished with putting things away._

_"Huh?" he asked confused. He was quickly applying paint to his face as though he was in a rush._

_"You said 'Don't start yelling.' like I yell all the time or something," Adriana shrugged._

_"Yeah you do," he said as he put red paint in a messy line on his left cheek._

_"When do I ever yell? You're the one that yells, maybe you're talking about yourself," Adriana said as she stuffed plastic bags into each other. "I know you're not talking about me."_

_"When do you yell?" the Joker laughed. "Really? '_Ughhhh, stop running in and out of my house at all hours of the night! Can you either stay in or out and stop letting out the heat?_'_ _Oh and how about, '_You've been in this house how long and you don't know where the salt is?_"_

_Adriana's stomach spasmed in internal laughter as he imitated her voice. He finished placing red paint on his cheeks and continued._

_" '_Why are you all up on me all the time? Can I have some space?', "_ he made his voice unnaturally high and dramatic._

_"Whatever," Adriana silenced him, trying to hide laughter. "I don't sound like that."_

_" '_Don't touch my hair!',_" he continued again with a girly hand wave near his head. Adriana finally laughed out loud at his imitations which she had to admit were accurate._

_"What about you?" Adriana asked lowering her voice to imitate him and made a low growling sigh that he did when he was irritated or angry. She made her hand into a mock phone. "_ 'Why are you calling me? What? Come over?'_"_

_"Hah," the Joker laughed at her low voice that danced around in different tones eerily to mock his._

_"_ 'Come over?' _" Adriana continued with the deep voice. " _'Do I look like I have an on demand button? Im busy.' _Beep." She clicked off her mock hand phone._

_" _'Get off of me, you smell like gasoline!', _" he whined in his high voice. " _'Do you like this dress? No? Whatever, it's not even your decision anyway so I don't care what you think- _"_

_Adriana coughed loudly to cut him off and lowered her voice again._

_" _'I'm busy.'...'I'm busy, so unless you can give me something tangible that I can actually use right now instead of just your opinions all the damn time then shut up'...'I'm busy'...'I'm busy, don't you see I'm on the phone?' _" Adriana pretended to be holding a phone._

_" '_Stop leaving stuff everwhere as if I'm here to pick up after you! I'm not your slave okay, sweetie, it's not the year 1702, you don't have slaves anymore, sweetheart!_" The Joker said in a high voice sending them both into an fit of uninhibited laughter._

* * *

><p>"Why are you laughing?" Harri asked Adriana who was lost in seeing her own memory vividly.<p>

"I was just thinking," Adriana responded. "No real problems, until the end."

"You're smiling," Harri said. "What's so great about him? What does he even look like? A monster?"

"No," Adriana said. "He looks good to me."

"Really?" Harri asked in disbelief, wondering if Adriana was saying it out of pity. "He looks good?"

"Mhm," Adriana nodded, completely honest. "Adrian will look just like him. Exactly."

"Ok? He is good looking, but what else is he?" Harri said somewhat more conviced that Adriana could be attracted to him.

"Well," Adriana though of his qualities easily.

"He's mean," Harri said quickly. "Evil."

"He can be agressive when he wants to," Adriana shook her head. "Firm but gentle at the same time."

"Nobody likes him," Harri said. "At least it's almost over." Harri's insensitive words hurt but Adriana didn't mind because they were true.

"Do you want to know why my psychic friend said?" Adriana changed the subject slightly.

"What?" Harri was interested.

"He will die soon, but I won't mourn him long," Adriana said. "I'll be too love with someone else."

"Good," Harri smiled. "I mean, that you won't mourn him long."

"She said Adrian will become a powerful man," Adriana smiled. "Kinda odd to think of that now since he can't even talk." Adriana didn't want to think about hurting someone or making a sacrifice like Sidi had also mentioned. It sounded mild compared to things she had experienced in the past. Whatever it was, she could handle the road bump.

"Adriana please be safe tonight, okay?" Harri said. "Bruce didn't seem worried at all but I am."

"You've nothing to worry about," Adriana said, only worried about her emotions. She just wanted everything to happen quickly so that she could move on to her blissful happily-ever-after.


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57:

"I still don't think you should go," Harri repeated. "Just stay here."

"At least it something to do," Adriana sighed and left the table. "Besides sitting here twiddling my thumbs while I wait for Bruce to come back. I hope he'll be back by tomorrow morning, I'm suffering withdrawal symptoms."

"He's going all the way to Korea!" Harri laughed. "Withdrawal symptoms?"

"Yeah I'm losing my marbles," Adriana joked. "I just hope its a quick trip."

"Well to make it back by tomorrow morning, he'd have to have one hell of a fast jet," Harri said.

Adriana took a look and restful nap and woke from her cell phone ringing under her pillow at nearly nine that evening. She slid it out from the cool area under the pillow and saw Bruce on the caller ID.

"Hello," she said with a smile.

"Are you in bed?" he asked.

"Do I sound like I am?" Adriana yawned. "Yeah I fell asleep."

"Are you still going tonight?" Bruce asked with the sounds of wind surrounding his voice.

"Yeah," Adriana said. "You said ten right?"

"Yup," Bruce said. "Be safe."

"Are you getting worried?" Adriana said jokingly.

"Nah," Bruce replied. "I miss you."

"I miss you too," Adriana said wishing she was back in her tiny dream where Bruce was there in her arms. "When will you be back?"

"Sometime tomorrow," Bruce said. "Maybe noon."

Adriana went on to tell Bruce about what Sidi had forseen earlier that afternoon. She told him numbly, surprised that she had no feeling or pain in thinking about the impending death. Bruce's voice eased any worry that was there to the point that she didn't even know or feel anxiety anymore. He assured her that everything would be fine and told her he would try hard to return as soon as possible since her voice sending him irresistible needy signals subconciously.

The house was quiet when Adriana left but Harri asked repeatedly two more times before she left that she stay home. Adriana actually considered it when she saw that snow was falling heavily and the cold wind and tedious driving that she would have to do made staying home a much more pleasant option. But then she remembered his fate.

"He's going to die soon Harri," Adriana said after she was out of the house. "Least I can do."

"Okay," Harri said standing near Adriana's car in pajamas. "Just call me okay? Call me when your almost there and then again when you get there. And call me when he gets there and when you are about to leave. Then call me after you leave and when you are on your way back then call me when your almost here. Alright?"

"So you want to me to call you seven times?" Adriana asked Harri who was shivering.

"Yes," Harri said as she slammed the car door and waved. "Call me!" Harri shouted loud enough for Adriana to hear as she started the car.

Adriana drove slowly on the nearly empty highway feeling nothing. She wanted to turn around and go back to Wayne Manor when the snow began to fall harder and made it difficult for her to see the road, but she saw the exit to Gotham City and decided to continue. The streets of the city were vacant and the snow made her think of what hell would look like if it did ever actually freeze over. The city was cold and bleak. The dreary atmosphere made Adriana consider going back away from these grim and desolate surroundings. She was overly grateful that she now had the option to hear no one else's thoughts because she couldn't bear more anguish than what the mere appearance of the city gave her. Gotham what not agreeing with her spirit and she just wanted to run. She pulled into the driveway of her house which was already coated thickly in snow. The clock showed that the time was 9:40pm and she decided to finally call Harri.  
>"Are you almost there?" Harri asked. "You're driving safe?"<p>

"I'm already here Harri," Adriana sighed. "Safe and sound, alright?"

"I said call me when you're _almost_ there, then again when you _get_ there," Harri whined. "You better not forget to call me and have me worrying."

"I won't Harri," Adriana assured her and wanted to hang up. "I have to go now, okay?"

"And call me when he gets there, Adri," Harri said, sounding worring. "You should just stay on the phone with me the whole time."

"No, Harri," Adriana said. "I'll answer if you call me. If you get worried then just call me, alright?"

"Alright," Harri said in a stern voice that reminded Adriana of their mother.

"Talk to you soon," Adriana said, wondering if she was allowed to hang up now.

"Okay, bye," Harri said and waited for Adriana to end the call.

After she hung up Adriana sat in the car for a few moments while the snow began to pile up gradually on the windshield. She leaned her head against the window and enjoyed a few peaceful moments in the dark before her phone rang again which made her jump. The phone slipped off of her leg and down underneath the seat. Adriana felt around for it in the dark and the turned on the light in the car to find the phone which had fallen face down. She looked at the caller ID to see Harri calling again.

"Yes?" Adriana asked.

"Is he there yet? Are you leaving now?" Harri asked quickly.

"Harri, I'm still in the car. I told you I would call you when he's here so stop worrying," Adriana said. "I'm hanging up now."

Adriana ended the call quickly and decided to leave the car because it had gone cold. She left the car and ran over to the porch to avoid as much of the snow as possible. Her mailbox on the wall beside the door was overflowing so she took as much of it out as she could so that she could take out the key that was in the bottom of it. She unlocked the door and tossed the mail onto the couch and took off her coat and held it in her arms. Not wanting to get too comfortable and wanting things to go as quickly as possible, she decided to put her coat on again. Everything in the house gave her memories that she wanted to suppress. She felt like a whole new person and felt so much more adult and wanted to put the past behind her.

She made her way through each room in the single-floor home, not seeing anything that she missed or wanted to take back to Wayne Manor with her. The house was completely dark and none of the lights would come on. Adriana went into the kitchen, where a street light partially illuminated the room, and began to feel bombarded with memories and deja vu. The clock on her phone showed that it was exactly ten on the dot and at that same moment Adriana heard her front door open and close lightly. Suddenly, butterflies began to fill her stomach and she wanted to leave through the kitchen door, which was silly since she would have to run around the entire house to get to her car. Instead, she just faced the opening from the dining room into the kitchen until she saw him appear in the darkness. As soon as she could recognize the figure in the shadows as the Joker, her eyes shut. His aura and shape and even posture ovewhelmed her so easily.

"Why is it so dark?" he asked as he approached the ligher area of the kitchen. His voice affected her enough to make her turn away from him to the light in the window.

"Uh," Adriana wondered why on earth this was so difficult. "Power's out. Haven't paid the bill in a while." She felt childish and turned to face him again.  
>"Okay," he said plainly. He was now in the light standing a few feet away from her.<p>

"What are you wearing?" Adriana asked, glad to be distracted from her nerves by his ensemble. He was dressed in jeans and a black hoodie sprinked with snow which made him look suprisingly normal. He almost looked like a completely different person now, his skin no longer pallid and sunken and all traces of green dye gone from his now shiny hair. Even his eyelashes glimmered, and Adriana wondered how being in jail and court and prison could affect someone's appearance so positively.

"First thing I could find that wasn't prison garb," he said.

"Oh," Adriana said while she watched him pull out a the chair from the kitchen table closest to her. He turned it to face her and sat. "So what did you want to ask me?" Adriana said, not feeling guilty at all about wanting to rush this along. Her arms felt like they were shaking so she stabilized them by leaning against the counter and resting her palms on the cold stainless steel around the kitchen sink.

"Something wrong?" he asked.  
>"No," Adriana said quickly. "Shit, I forgot to call Harri." Adriana reached into her coat pockets feeling for her phone and felt the bulge of it in her pants pocket. She unzipped the knee-length coat to pull it out and called Harri.<p>

"Harri's he's here okay?" Adriana said impatiently. "I'm fine... Yes I promise...Okay. I'm fine Harri...YES...okay, bye."

"Worried, huh?" the Joker laughed lightly.

"Why wouldn't she be?" Adriana asked. "What did you want to ask me? And why couldn't you just ask Bruce when you had the opportunity?"

"You seem really angry," the Joker sighed. "And tense. Calm down okay, it's simple stuff that I want to know and I'll be out of your hair soon."

Adriana felt a subtle sadness when she remembered his fate and closed her eyes. She nodded to let him know that she was calm and allowed her mind to become peaceful.

"I'm sorry," she apologized and felt all of the muscled in her body relax. She shook her head at how she had just been talking to him. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he smiled when she opened her eyes and appeared relaxed. His skin glowed in the white light and he appeared gentle and serene. His smile put time at a standstill and Adriana stood for a few seconds mildly stupefied.

"Bruce told me you wanted to ask me something," Adriana said much more nicely and almost wanted him to take his time asking her.

"Yeah that's true. You know I've been thinking, since I will be dying soon and all," he diverted his gaze slighlty to the window. "I just thought it would be appropriate for me to know what my name is."

"Oh," Adriana said faintly. She wasn't ready for him to leave yet and wished he had asked a more complex question.

"I think, maybe, I can't be sure though," he though out loud. "That maybe I might know what it is."

"No," Adriana laughed mildly. "You don't. How would you even know what it is?" Adriana didn't want to see into his mind now but remembered before that she had seen that he had absoultely no concious knowledge about his past or name.

"Well," he started, a slight hint of embarassment in his voice. "I think you screamed it."

"What?" Adriana wanted to laugh again. "No I didn't!" She recalled the very few number of time that she had raised her voice at him to the point of screaming. She was always in enough control to know not to use his name, just imagining it made her nearly choke.

"Maybe it was someone else then," he said.

Adriana couldn't help it anymore and dove into his mind but before she could see his memories, she felt her own since she was there. The memory showed that she felt overcome with luxurious bliss and affection. In the moment that his mind directed her to, she felt a majestic exposion within. Her mind was full of senseless images of her entire body being tossed into the universe, flying carelessy closer to unreachable stars, and she wasn't worried at all about never coming back from the vast galaxies. But she did as reality set in and she collapsed against a soft pillow. He looked down at her with an unplacable look of discomfort. Her throat felt raw as if she had been growling of screaming but she was more concerned with why he was gazing at her questioningly as if expecting an explanation for something. She looked back at him and wanted to ask him why he had stopped but didn't want to speak. Reality was too much as her mind was flooded with images that she had seen earlier on the news that evening. She didn't want to feel dissapointed in herself since she had sworn that she would turn him away and somehow find away to avoid him and never let him again. No matter how many times she had promised herself that she would reject him even if it cost her life, she always found herself surrendered, full and open to a man that she couldn't deny. Instead of pushing him away she could only grip him tighter and embrace the illusions that he left her with. She had never thought of that moment again until now.

"Do you remember what you said? You said, _Jack_," he said with a hint of imitation in his voice. "Just like that."

Adriana turned quickly away from him and covered her mouth quickly with her hand. She shook her head for no reason at all and felt a tear drop on her hand.

"So is that someone else?" he asked to her back, dissapointed. Adriana shook her head harder.

"No," she managed to say.

"So that's me?" he asked and saw her head bob in a weak nod. She heard him stand an approach her from beind.

"Yeah, that's you," her voice cracked.

"Are you crying?" he asked as he gently took her shoulders and spun her around to face him. His touch made the tears that she was fighting back run over her face freely.

"Yeah," she said as she wiped the tears quickly.

"You can't cry now," he said sweetly. "The first time I saw you, you were crying. The last time you have to be happy."

"Okay," Adriana wondered how she could force herself to be happy as his words reminded her that is really was goodbye this time.

"What's my last name?" he asked. "Does it start with a J?"

"No," Adriana said, noticing his dissapointment.  
>"Oh, so what is it then?" he asked hopefully.<p>

"Starts with an 'H', it's Hayden," she said, hiding her pain well.

"Jack Hayden?" he said the unfamiliar name and wondered if it was really his.

"Yeah, that's really your name."

"How old am I?" he asked sounding excited.

"Twenty-nine," Adriana answered.

"Really?" he asked in disbelief. He had always been sure that he was at least fourty. "So you're older than me?"

"Yeah," Adriana responded. "You're really twenty-nine, Jack."

He became quiet when he heard her say his name with such familiarity. Something in him shifted and she saw it in his eyes, but reading his thoughts was useless since it wasn't his own thoughts that rearranged his spirit. All she could see what that he was suddenly full of devotion and attatchment. The moment was broken as Adriana heard someone entering the front door again and both she and Jack looked at each other questioningly.

"Who's that?" he whispered.

"I don't know," Adriana wondered if it could possibly be Harri, but she would have at least attempted to call and wouldn't have been able to make it there so quickly with the snow falling harder and harder.

"Neither do I," he replied.

"Who is it?" Adriana yelled but saw his mind and past before the man could answer or come into view. Ricard brushed snow off of his coat as he approached the kitchen.

"Are you here? Light on your car is on-", he froze as he looked up and saw the Joker standing beside her in the dark.


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58:

Adriana tried to think of any possible explanation for Ricard that would get him to leave and forget that he had seen anything. Her mind raced and so did his but before she could think of anything he began to shout.

"Get away from her!" Ricard yelled to the man who he was nearly sure was the Joker. The entire house was so dark he could barely recognize him, especially in the attire that he was wearing. But the scars in his face were overt enough that he could be certain who was there in front of him.

"Ricard, it's okay-" Adriana tried to calm him down but he was hearing none of it. He instantly believed that she was not in her right mind and needed to be protected.

"Back away!" Ricard said and whipped out a pistol from an inside pocket in his coat.

"No, no!" Adriana cried and without thinking stood in front of Jack who instinctively pushed her aside quickly.

The sound of a gunshot cracked loudly through the room as Adriana fell to the floor from the push and looked up at Jack who had also pulled out a gun. Things began to shatter in the rooms around her as bullets flew and Adriana covered her head and squeezed her eyes shut praying with every bit of life force that she had that this was only a nightmare and she would wake up soon. She sealed her mind wishing it all away but the explosions of the shots being fired confirmed that this was real. Adriana opened her eyes in the split second of silence that came unexpectedly. She felt hands gripping both of her arms tightly and spinning her body around while her eyes were still shut. Her eyes opened when she felt hands touching her face and gripping her chin. She made out Jack's face quickly now that her eyes were fully adjusted to the dark. He turned her face forcefully left and right looking for any injury and tried to pull her to her feet to make sure she wasn't hit.

"I'm not hit," Adriana breathed in a panicked voice when she realized that he was. Blood from his arm dripped onto the white tile floor.

"I'm fine," Jack said and Adriana saw that his mind was calm and the wound was superficial enough to not worry him. But undeniable hysteria still filled the room and Adriana turned to Ricard who she could see laying on the floor.

A choked cry excaped her throat as she crawled over to him and tried to see in the dark where he was hit. The darkness wouldn't allow so she dove into his mind and felt the areas where he had pain. There were many and her mind began a worried frenzy.

"Oh no," Adriana cried and wondered what to do as the puddle of blood around him expanded.

_..THE GUN!_

Adriana heard Ricard's thoughts clearly. He thought loudly and clearly knowing that she would hear him.

_Pass me the gun, Adriana! And run! _

Adriana looked around and saw that his gun and slid halfway under the table. She shook her head at him to tell him she wouldn't run or give him the gun.

"I need-" Adriana's distress made it hard for her to put a sentence together. "You need an ambulance."

"The-" Ricard's voice sounded submerged as he tried to talk and after attempting to speak he began to cough up blood violently.

Adriana fumbled through her coat pockets and didn't feel her phone. She looked around the room and saw it on the counter next to where Jack stood expressionlessly.

"Call," Adriana said to him. "The ambulance..call-" Adriana said and Jack picked up the phone immediately. She was glad he was the one to call because in this state of stress she couldn't even remember what number to call.

_He wont! _Ricard shouted in his mind. _Run Adriana! He will kill you! Go!_

"911, what is your emergency?" Adriana heard the woman on the other end of the line clearly. Ricard lay stunned at the fact that the Joker had actually listened to her and called 911.

"Man's been shot," Jack said passively.

"May I have the location please," the woman said almost shakily and Adriana could feel her unease through the phone at the voice that she thought she recognized. Jack gave the woman the address and she began to ask him more questions as she convinced herself that this wasn't the Joker calling. He was in prison.

"Is the shooter still there?" she asked solidly.

"Yes," Jack responded.

"Armed?" the woman asked quickly. Jack glanced down at the gunin his hand that he had picked up again.

"Yes," he answered. He was armed.

"Police and ambulance will be there shortly-" she woman started to say and Jack hung up the phone.

Silence erupted again in the room for a few seconds and moments later the only thing that could be heard was Ricard's labored breathing. Adriana could no longer ignore his thoughts as he began to breather quicker in fright.

"Calm down," Adriana said to him warmly. "The ambulance is coming, don't worry." 

_What the hell is going on! _ Ricard thought clearly. _Why is he here? Why-_

Adriana had pulled her lips in and dropped her head shamefully. The ambulance couldn't come fast enough.

_He is, isn't he. _Ricard's mind stated. _He's your kid's father._

Adriana nodded as she felt Ricard's mind brighten but he ignored it and kept asking her more.

_He has you brainwashed! This is insane! They'll arrest him-_

His thoughts stopped as Adriana shook her head lightly.

_You weren't brainwashed? That's what you think..._

Adriana nodded and wanted to cry as his mind elevated in an uneasy way. She had only read the mind of a person near death once and the remembrance and familiarity of it stampeded her mind.

_Adriana..._ Ricard thought, now realizing. _That's just sick._

She nodded again surprised that no tears fell from her eyes as the dizzying brightness in his mind consumed hers.

_I can't even believe you would do something like this. Why? Why him? Why on earth-_

"Please don't think about that right now Ricard," Adriana said calmingly. Jack was stunned by her talking to a silent man.

_I'm dying aren't I? _Ricard thought. _And you! You won't even pass me that gun! Do you know what he did to me? He sliced my face open Adriana, do you hear me? Look at me now! Look at what he's done! He's a killer and you won't even-_

Sirens resonated in the air and approached giving Ricard hope. Adriana turned at look at Jack who still stood and stared at Ricard blankly. Ricard gave him a vengeful stare back, full of boiling hatred. The flashing lights shone on all of the walls and a loud knock hit on the front door. The people at the door entered seconds later without waiting for a response. The paramedics froze at the sight of Jack standing in the kitchen holding a gun. He pointed down at the floor where Ricard lay with Adriana kneeling beside him. They hesitantly reached for flashlights and began to aid him as Jack slipped out of the kitched door. Adriana looked back at the open door after he left, wishing she could have said goodbye to him. The snow flew around violently and the police entered the room at almost the same second that Jack had gone. The paramedics began to tell the police quickly that the Joker was there and the wondered furiously why no one was notified that he had excaped from prison.

"This true?" one of the officers asked Adriana who was still sitting on the floor while Ricard was lifted onto a stretcher.

"Yeah," she answered, unable to pull away from the abundant black light in Ricard's mind before he slipped away. His thoughts were gone as he became inanimate and she finally burst into tears. The police helped her stand and assured her that they would find the Joker and that the justice would be served.


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59:

"Would you please tell me what happened?" a cop who introduced himself as Officer Orton asked. "For the police report?"

"She doesn't look well," one of the paramedics who had arrived later in an unnecessary ambulance noticed.

Adriana didn't care how she looked at this point and was still dazed by seeing the mental process of death. She wondered about her own fate and questioned whether she would become as careless as Ricard, not seeing any importance in anything but himself and his own soul in those final moments. Replaying the dark in his mind which was indescribably dark but bright at the same time would have her distracted for some time.

"Miss are you okay?" the female paramedic kneeled in front of Adriana who was still sitting on the floor.

"Yeah, yeah," Adriana said quickly and heard the woman's thoughts. She was certain that Adriana was on drugs, most likely heroin based on her sudden outbust of alertness followed by a droopy scene of disorientation.

"Okay, well I'll help you stand. I think it would be best for you to go the hospital," the woman said.

"I'm fine," Adriana insisted.

The police officers and paramedics were frustrated with the darkness in the house and the fact that none of the lights worked. It made Orton curious but he wanted to leave.

"Would you mind going downtown with us then for questioning?" Orton asked politely. He didn't see her as a suspect but wanted to clear out the house, which was now a crime scene for manslaughter. He also wanted to know the details of the shooting, though they weren't really necessary. The bigger mysteries surrounded the fact that the Joker had been released or excaped from prison and no alert was given by the staff there.

"Yeah, I'll go," Adriana answered.

Adriana rode with Orton and his parter to the police station which was bustling despite the snow storm which grew worse every minute. Half of the officers in the station looked as if they had been called in or had decided to come in out of curiosity. They looked expectant when Adriana and the officers who had been at the scene entered.

"Do you want anything to drink?" Orton's partner asked Adriana after she sat next to Orton's desk in the busy room.

"No, I'm good," Adriana answered.

Officers politely came up and asked Adriana non-invasive questions and muttered to each other about how Gotham would never see the light of day and how the madness would never stop. Everyone wanted to offer her food or drink but she declined them all. Some of the officers still knew her by name while others who were new just referred to her as 'Bruce Wayne's fiancee'.

"Adriana," an out of breath voice distracted Adriana from her mind scanning of the room. Comissioner Gordon surprised her by giving her a warm hug and invited her into his office.

"It's really busy here tonight," Adriana said after he closed the door.

"Everyone came in when they heard," he explained. "It hasn't been put on the news yet and I want to keep it that way as long as possible. No one will trust us or the prison system once it is."

"Oh," Adriana said noticing Gordon's stressed appearance. She hoped he wouldn't question her about anything and she was relieved that that seemed to be the last thing in his mind.

"I'll have to go to his parents tonight," Gordon said sadly, thinking of Ricard. "I'm sorry, Adriana."

Adriana was silent and wasn't sure how to respond to Gordon's sympathy. She pushed the thought to the back of her mind that Ricard's death was her own fault. She left the light on in her car and if she had turned it off he would still be alive.

"We will be searching this city top and bottom, every corner until he's found. Every nook, cranny and crevice," Gordon said beginning to sound determined. "They wouldn't dare take him to court for this. His sentence needs to be carried out immediately."

"Oh," Adriana said weakly.

"You look tired," Gordon noticed. "Do you want to call someone to come get you? I could call Mr. Wayne if you would like."

"He's out of the country," Adriana said. "I'll probably stay in the city tonight. The weather is impossible."

"Where else would you stay?" Gordon asked, assuming she was still living at her old house or somewhere else in Gotham.

"Wayne Manor," Adriana answered. "I'm staying there."

"Oh," Gordon said. "I would take you but that's pretty far out of my way after going to the Ricard's."

"That's okay," Adriana said honestly, just wanting to leave.

"Why did he kill him?" Gordon asked indirectly as if wondering out loud to himself but turned to Adriana for answers a few seconds later. "Why was he even there? Did he break in?" Gordon's mind filled with questions as he thought more about the situation.

"I don't want to-" Adriana covered her face as the painful memories flooded back in.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Gordon said calmly. "It doesn't matter anyway. We know who our killer is and we will find him. I'm bringing in every officer in Gotham tonight to search."

Adriana rocked back and forth as she nodded.

"Can I go?" she asked Gordon who still looked hurt to have to deliver news of the death.

"Yes, of course, but are you sure you don't want to call someone to come and get you?" he asked, concerned. "If he broke into your house you might still be in danger if he's still after you for some reason. I think you should stay here until-"

"I'm sure," Adriana said. "I'll probably stay at Bruce's apartment."

"Okay," Gordon sighed. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Adriana said and left his office. Everyone looked at her as if expecting a detailed story of explanation to motivate them on their impending all-night search but were dissapointed as she left saying nothing.

Adriana stepped out into the windy night and began to walk back to her house. The snow was thick and she worked up a sweat as she trudged through the first few blocks. She felt foolish for deciding to walk in this weather and decided to take a break from the walk by going into a 24-hour pharmacy along the way. The store was deserted which was calming. She walked aimlessly through the aisled and froze at the aisle of bandages and sterlization products as she remembered the blood dripping from Jack's arm. Soon after she had a basket full of bandages and a first aid kit and once again felt foolish for buying these products for no reason.

"Aren't you Bruce Wayne's fiancee?" the cashier asked Adriana.

"Yeah," Adriana said, not wanting conversation.

"Wow," the girl said. "It's like I'm meeting a celebrity."

"Yea right," Adriana laughed.

"Well I saw you on TV so that makes you a celebrity," the girl laughed back. "You're so pretty, now I see why Bruce Wayne wants to marry you."

"You're pretty too, honey," Adriana said to the girl after seeing a hint of weakness in her self esteem in her mind.

"Not like you though," the girl said. "Anything else?"

"Umm," Adriana looked at the bag of useless stuff. "A pack of Newport Box 100's?"

"You don't look like you smoke," the girl joked as she grabbed the cigarettes.

"Barely," Adriana answered. "Probably a pack every 6 months. Nineteen of them will go stale before I use them."

"Same here," the girl replied. "Total is fifty-five thirty."

"Thank you, beautiful," Adriana said after paying to the girl who looked overjoyed.

Adriana continued her walk through the snow, walking with her head down with hopes that she wouldn't walk into a pole. After twenty minutes of laborous hiking she looked up to see she had only gone three more blocks and calculated that it would take at least another hour for her to arrive home but she didn't mind. The muscles in her legs were on fire when she finally reached her driveway. There were still two police cars parked outside and the house was lit with laterns and flash lights. The police greeted her nicely and she decided to say as little as possible to them since she just wanted to finally be able to sit in the car. She thanked God that they had cleared her driveway and pulled out with ease.

"Hello?" Adriana picked up her phone after Harri's name appeared on the screen.

"Where are you? I called you four times!" Harri yelled.

"Stop shouting at me please," Adriana said. She decided that it would be best for Harri to not know about the shooting. "Stop stressing Harri, please, for your baby's sake."

"Fine," Harri said in the same loud tone. "Are you on your way back?"

"The snow is insane, Harri. I'm going to stay in town."

"Okay," Harri said, unable to argue with the weather.

Adriana hung up and struggled to see through the swirling snow which street she was on and wondered if Bruce knew about the shooting already. He seemed to know about everything as soon as it happened. If the police knew, he knew. Adriana's phone rang again and Adriana was prepared to finally shout at Harri but the ID showed 'Out of Area'.

"Hello?" Adriana said and stopped at a red light. "Hello?"

There was silence on the other end of the line and she then knew who was calling. He didn't know if she was alone or if she was around cops.

"Are you okay?" Adriana asked.

"Yeah," he lied. "Cops there?"

"No, I left the police already," Adriana said. "Where are you?"

"Fleur Inn," he said.

"I'll bring you some bandages and stuff," Adriana offered.

"How about painkillers," he said. His voice was quiet but deep enough to be audible.

"I have," Adriana reached into the bag, forgetting what she purchased. "Ibuprofen and Naproxen Sodium."

"Perfect," he replied. Adriana listened to his voice, not wanting to listen to his mind. He sounded like something was gone from him, almost like he wasn't really there mentally.

"Okay, I'll be there soon," Adriana said and hung up, not wanting to hear more of the distant and absent sounding tone.


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter 60:

Adriana arrived at Fleur Inn faster than she expected to since most of the streets along the way had been plowed clean. She pulled into the parking lot which was packed with snow and almost void of any other vehicles. The single level motel was nearly empty and she could scan the building easily to see which room he was in. She walked around the building to the last door which was unlocked and opened it.

"Why is it so dark?" Adriana asked Jack who was sitting in the dark looking overly pensive.

"Room's not supposed to be occupied," he answered.

The room was tidy but the orange jumpsuit tossed over a chair at the desk stood out like a bright light. Adriana pulled the small food cart that was sitting empty near the bed close to her and pulled out the contents of the plastic bag.

"Which one do you want?" Adriana asked about the pain medications since the thoughts of pain in his mind were poweful.

"That Sodium," he said and Adriana tossed him the bottle of Naproxen Sodium.

He caught it and stood to open it. After eyeing a bottle of water on the tray he walked over to take it. Adriana was glad that the room was so dark so that he couldn't see her shutting her eyes when he came close. She was ready to leave.

"Thanks," he said before sitting again and bandaged his arm quickly as if he had done it hundreds of times.

"You're welcome," she replied. "I'm gonna go now."

"Oh," he said, seeming to return from his oblivion.

"So, uh," she said as she decided to leave. "Bye."

He didn't say anything back and Adriana could see him now after her vison became familiar with the dark. He looked tense and indecisive and the muscle in his cheek appeared and went away quickly.

"Did I," Jack started to ask quiety and slumped slightly as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I mean is he-"

"What?" Adriana asked but decided his thoughts would do better explaining. He was asking about Ricard.

"I meant did he-" he started.

"He died," Adriana said, doing her best to conceal any sound of pain.

The thoughts in his mind were some of the most depressive Adriana had heard in her entire life. For the first time he was feeling resentment and grief. His conscience was something that he had never been familiar with, but now it consumed the entire capacity of his thinking mind. He was convicting and judging himself in the most harsh thinking possible. Everything he touched deteriorated and anything that he cared about he would damage and bruise. Anything he tried to hold would slip through his fingers beaten and dead or limping away in fear and dread. But she was here now, the very last ray of hope in his life. He saw something glimmer in the dark room after his intense self examination and realization. It was the sparkling ring on her finger. The only thing visible was confirmation that anything he loved, he would lose.

His entire situation became clear in his mind. Once he left this room, he would be found wherever he went and would be killed. There was no place to go and nothing to fight or continue hiding for. This was the end of the line but at least things were still in his control. He had never considered taking his own life before this moment but in this bitter end it seemed sensible. He could do it easily without a second thought but certainly not with her standing there watching him.

"Alright," he said softly. "Well, goodnight."

She was completely quiet and he remembered that she knew what he was thinking. In his mind, he had failed her and himself and had no other choice.

"Please go," he said. "Now, please."

Reality was too much as Adriana heard constant police sirens and helicopters in the distance. They echoed in the room and she began to realize that nothing else was possible. Suddenly the sounds of the police frightened her. They were the sounds of the hostile world in the horizon seeking its revenge and she didn't want them to get him. They would be remorseless and without mercy once they had him again.

But still, she didn't want it to end this way. He couldn't die all alone as if no one cared about him. Even if she was the only one who did, it was still unfair. Even though he was the parasite who confiscate all of her self control without even trying and even though he continued to come in and out of her life when she finally thought she was done with him, she wanted him to live.

"Okay," Adriana said, turning to leave, hearing the faint sound of her phone's final beep as the battery died. She scanned the room quickly in the dark and saw his gun on the end table near the door. She had to take it.

She slipped the gun into her pocket quietly but saw instantaneously that he knew what she was trying to do. If she ran, would he just find another gun or kill himself some other way? She didn't think about it and just accepted that taking this gun was all that she could do for now.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a voice that froze her footsteps. He came over to her with surprising speed and began to pull the gun from her.

"No," she said and tried to fight the gun back into her pocket.

He was confused about why she was fighting him so furiously for something like this. She used the entire weight of her body to pull the gun downwards and dug her nails into his fingers to try and pry the gun away. She sucessfully, after using every bit of muscle and energy that she had, took the gun down to the floor and held it with both hands. He stood over her as she crouched with the gun and wrapped his arms around her to try and pull it away again, dreading the sensation of nails clawing off his fingertips. The feeling of his arms and body against her caused her fighting muscles to give up, succumed and completely distracted. A jolt of anger rushed through her because of her frustration at this crumble and failure of strength. As the gun began to slip from her fingers she fell to floor and rolled on her side. The anger caused her to release an involuntary kick into his chest. He fell to the floor too and let out a groan of pain as he leaned against the wall, bent over in pain. He dropped the gun next to her and his eyes were shut tight in agony.

"I'm sorry!" Adriana said in a pleading voice. "Sorry! Sorry!"

"It's fine," he said after opening his eyes. "I think you broke a rib," he joked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to kick you," she apologized.

"It's fine," he repeated and looked at the gun. "You should go now, please, Adriana."

"You can't do this to me," she said. He dropped his head back against the wall and looked up at the ceiling. She crawled over and sat next to him and realized that she had every bit of him memorized. Every wave and curl in his dark hair, the shape of his jaw and nose, every single uneven ridge in the scars on his face. She couldn't imagine him no longer living. Would the world stop spinning and would the sun never rise again once his strong life and vitality was gone from the planet? Wouldn't it throw the universe out of wack? She had no doubt that it would.

"Either they do it, or I do it," he said and turned his head to look at her. "There's no other way. You chose. Either you give me the gun or I get arrested again tomorrow and let them."

"Why would you even say that to me?" Adriana said shocked.

"Because you need to leave," he said. "With or without the gun, now."

Adriana thought for several short moments. It was his life and his body and he preferred that things end this way. There was nothing that she could do to stop this. Sidi's words flowed back in from her memory as she recalled her saying that her destiny had never been clearer. This meant that things were cut and dry, and the things that she said were guaranteed. He was going to die either way. Her hand carrying the gun crossed her lap and onto his and he reached slowly to take it. The contact of his fingertips against the sensitive skin of his inner wrist sent and electic wave to her brain of the most vivid and clear memory.

_I see a death soon. _Sidi's voice was extremely slow and melodic in Adriana's mind. _A man from your past._

The voice came as if talking to Adriana right now. _Follow your _heart_ and not your mind...do not be ashamed of your weakness._

A man from her past had already died. Could it be possible that two would die but Sidi hadn't seen it? Adriana pleaded with the memory for any guidance but there was none. Only repetition. _Do not be ashamed. _What would she do in this very moment if she was not ashamed?

He was unaware that she was deep in thought as he gently pulled the gun from her hand. The instant that he had removed it he felt her breath and nose lightly touch his ear. His eyebrows frowned in slight surprise as her hand that was holding the gun went limp. She leaned her head on his shoulder and her nose touched his ear again and she rotated her head in a small circle. The unexpected nuzzle confused him and he closed his eyes and waited, not knowing what to expect. He convinced himself that it was insignificant and didn't mean anything, but he was still afraid to move. She backed away and looked at his face and watched him open his eyes again. He seemed to ignore her for a few seconds and her mind raced and she watched in defeat at him covering his face with his hand.

"Please go," he said and did nothing in his mind but hoped for her departure.


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter 61:

His thoughts were abrasive. He had turned angry at how she had made something that he could do simply and easily into something difficult with a simple touch. It made him remember that she was the only person on earth who he was almost sure loved him. Even if she didn't, she was the one who hated him the least and no one would ever hate him less than she did. She wanted to respond to his thoughts and tell him that she did, in fact, love him. But that would only make this situation more frustrating for him. She made the decision to leave in silence and to close her mind to him. After standing so fast that it felt as if all of the blood in her body rushed to her feet, she grabbed her phone from the tray and made a surreal journey to the door.

She opened the door enough to feel the sting of the harsh wind and sharp snowflakes. The frigid air hated her and she struggled to see far enough to find her car. Her breath in the air made it even more difficult to see but she had to leave before her emotions kicked in. Carelessly, she pulled the door open but felt it hit something. She looked down and saw nothing, then looked up and saw his hand which slid down the door and pushed it closed again.

"Wha-" Adriana started to ask what he was doing but after spinning around to him her lips were taken in a kiss ravaging enough to impel them to a place of no return. The few seconds that her reasoning mind allowed her to think of how unthinkable this was passed quickly. She didn't attempt to wonder or justify.

"This is crazy," he said after a forceful emergence from the kiss.

"Yeah," Adriana replied, nodding quickly. She pulled him back into a kiss forcibly and he could see that she was too ignited to stop.

He wondered why she seemed more intimately famished than he felt. She seemed to be trying to consume his flesh and clawed with enough vigor to nauseate him. She couldn't caress or taste enough of him and her contagious ravenous mood soon spread to him. His infiltration into her body made the icy and destitute world of Gotham seem as sweet as if it was covered abundantly in blazing caramel and lavishly honey-dipped. He broke her down to her smallest common denominator and rebuilt her again a new woman, over and over again. The sounds of his name being moaned without care or hesitation put his worries about the situation to rest.

* * *

><p>"What time is it?" Adriana asked when she woke to a dimly sunlit room.<p>

"Six-thirty," he answered.

"What? What time did you wake up? Why did you let me sleep like that?" she panicked.

"I didn't sleep," he said.

When the fog in her eyes cleared, Adriana saw him standing in front of the mirror rubbing the right side of his face. She was greatly appalled by the marks on his body. Thick, raised marks from scratches ran from his right shoulder blade down to around his waist. Even redder ones swelled on his arm, beginning at the top of his shoulder and ending near his elbow. She blinked hoping they would fade, unable to believe that she had been so savage.

"Is that from me?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, still looking in the mirror. "Looks like something you would do." He let out a weak laugh and touched his cheek again.

"I never did that to you before," she said, and then remembered that she rarely saw him afterwards. He always seemed to dissapear.

"Yeah you did," he said and turned to her.

"Woah," she squeezed her eyes shut when she saw the hickeys on his chest and lower neck.

"Look at this," he pointed to another one on his cheek.

"I'm sorry," she apologized and then wondered if she had any bruising. She felt soreness from head to toe and felt as if she had been hit by a gracious freight train repeatedy in the right spots. Her insides were still swollen enough to make walking diffcult. She stumbled hunched over to the mirror, happy to see that her skin was spotless.

"You look like you're sorry," he said in response to her way of walking. "Apology accepted."

"What am I going to do?" she asked.

"About what?" he asked as he dressed.

"Everything," Adriana dropped onto the bed sore enough to want to cry. "I can't believe..."

"Let's leave," he answered the question simply. "Just run away."

"What?" she replied to the silly suggestion. He sat next to her and pushed her down to kiss her.

"We could just leave everything behind here," he suggested. "Leave the country."

"You make it sound so simple," she said. "Just pack bags and go."

"I guess you would have to pack bags," he said. "I don't have any posessions."

"It's not that easy," Adriana said, surprisingly comfortable beneath him though she was still bare skinned and he was fully dressed.

"You don't want me that much," he sighed.

"You're crazy, it's not that," she answered.

"Then what is it?" he said.

"Because you're wanted by the police more than ever after last night. We would have to be on the run forever. You can't hide easily," she said running her fingers lightly against his scars.

"True," he agreed.

"But more importantly," her eyes filled with tears. "I have a family...I have Bruce...How can I do this to him?"

"Oh," Jack nodded. "Please just come with me. He'll understand."

"No," Adriana wanted to laugh at how simply she had to break things down to him, especially when it came to emotions and how to treat other people. "I love him too much to just-"

"Do you want to be with him?" Jack asked quickly.

"How can I say no?" Adriana said. "He's practically my family."

"I meant," Jack pulled her close. "Like this."

"Like this," Adriana repeated and realized that intimately, there was no one else for her. "I want you."

"Are you going to tell him?" Jack asked.

"I have to..." Adriana wondered how on earth she would do this.

"He'll murder me."

"He might," Adriana agreed. "And me too."

"So just don't tell him," Jack said. "Just...break up with him and don't tell him about this."

"I love him too much to be dishonest like that," Adriana explained.

"I still say you just leave and we could just run away," he repeated.

"Yeah," Adriana said, knowing that he wouldn't understand her regret and pain if she did. "But I don't want Adrian to live like that."

"Who?" Jack said confused.

"Adrian," Adriana repeated. "My baby."

"Oh," Jack nodded, understanding. "You named him Adrian."

"Yes," Adriana answered. Jack was quiet and realized how much having a baby complicated things. "I think I have to tell him...based on what my psychic said."

"What did she say?" Jack questioned.

"She told me a man from my past would die. She told me not to be ashamed...and she said I would hurt someone 'in a profound way'. So I guess this is it," Adriana said. "How he's going to react, I don't know. I'm scared."

"You're scared of him?" Jack asked surprised.

"I don't think he's going to murder us but..." Adriana said. "I just don't want to hurt him. Maybe he won't really care.."

"Yeah right," Jack laughed. "Look at what's leaving him," Jack said looking down at her body. "All of this."

"Well, in that case, luckily he hasn't seen 'all of this'," Adriana said. "At least not in this context."

"You're not sleeping with him?" Jack asked mildly stunned.

"He's not sleeping with me," Adriana answered. "Not yet anyway."

"Oh," Jack said, more confused than relieved.

"But anyway," Adriana continued before he could ask why. "I'm still hoping that he won't care and that I'll hurt someone else in a profound way. Maybe this is what she meant," Adriana touched the red lines on his arm.

"You know that's not what she meant," Jack said.

"I know, but I was just being hopeful." she replied. "Listen," Adriana said and sat up quickly and seriously.

"What?" he said and watched her dress.

"All I have to say is," Adriana said an pulled on her shirt. "I know you don't really understand how massively difficult and painful it is for me to do this to him but if I have to hurt him really intensely..for you..to be with you.."

"Uh huh," he heard her voice shake as she pulled on her pants.

"Put him and myself through this for you.." Adriana continued. "For future reference.."

"What," he said and she reached under the bed for her boots.

"You'd better be fucking worth it."


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter 62:

"You should go with me," Adriana said after dressing.

"Why?" Jack asked.

"Do you think it's smart to stay here?" Adriana asked him. "I bet they're checking every hotel, even ones it the outskirts. I'm surprised they haven't come here yet.

"No, I don't think it's smart to stay here," he answered. "I also don't think it's smart to go with you since you've decided to tell him about this. I think I'd prefer it if the cops found me than to have him bludgeon me."

"You're coming. It's not optional," Adriana said while trying to revive her dead phone.

"Fine,if you want to see him murder me," Jack said smartly. "He'll probably do it right in front of you."

"I don't have the patience for this right now," Adriana said. "You're coming. Don't say anything else."

"Alright," Jack sighed and watched her as she began to clean the room. "Why are you cleaning?"

"I don't know," she replied as she stuffed the orange jumpsuit into a tiny plastic bag. After the room was spotless, they left.

"I'll drive," Jack offered, not trusting her in her distracted state.

"Sure," Adriana said as she tossed the trash bags onto the back seat. He had his hood pulled up as far forward as it could go and had her scarf wrapped tightly around the lower half of his face.

He pulled the hood and scarf off once he was behind the tinted windows in her car and drove quickly and carelessly through the mountains of unshoveled snow in the hotel parking lot.

"You might want to stop at the lights," Adriana suggested after they had been driving for a few minutes. "And the stop signs. Getting pulled over is the last thing we need right now."

"Right," Jack agreed.

They were able to leave the city surprisingly quickly and before Adriana knew it, they were on the wooded path that headed towards the gates of the mansion.

"He's there," Adriana said as she started at top of Wayne Manor in the distance.

"How do you know?" Jack asked.

"I can hear his worry from here,"Adriana answered. "I can't deal with it." She decided to shut out any outside thoughts for the rest of her life, if possible.

"Call him," Jack suggested. "Tell him you're almost there."

"My phone is dead," Adriana reminded him and hooked her phone up the charger in her car. "Drive slower."

"Okay," Jack said, not needing to ask why. But eventually they did reach the gates which were wide open and saw Bruce's black Lamborghini parked haphazardly at the base of the stairway.  
>Adriana unplugged her phone, which instantly beeped due to the near-dead battery, and shoved it into her pocket when she saw the number of missed calls, texts, and voice messages.<p>

"I'll be right back," Adriana said. "Hopefully."

"You'll be fine," Jack said, certain that he was the only one in any real danger in this situation.

"No I won't," Adriana said solemly and left the car.

Adriana suprised herself by running up the steps. The anxiety that had built up in her was somewhat relieved when she reached the top of the stairs tired and out of breath. She opened the unlocked door and was grateful to see no one. She closed the door as quietly as possible and took off her shoes to walk in silence. Bruce's thoughts led her to his office where she found him sitting with his head in his hands at a chair near the window. He rubbed his forehead for a few seconds before standing and going to the desk to pick up the phone for the hundredth time to try calling her again. Her phone rang in her pocket and Bruce turned quickly and confused at hearing the sound. The panic drained from his face when he saw her.

"Adriana," he said breathlessly, "I've been-"

"I'm sorry," Adriana said weakly.

"What happened? Ricard is dead..the police reports are incredibly vague. I've called you at least 900 to 1,000 times, I was going to file a missing person's report since your car was untraceable," Bruce said.

"You can trace my car?" Adriana asked.

"Yes, but for some reason we couldn't find it at all last night," Bruce said. "He killed Ricard?"

"Yes," Adriana said as Bruce's arms surrounded her.

"Why?" Bruce said while holding her. "Why was he even there?"

"Because I'm stupid. Because I left the light on in my car and he must have been passing by and saw came in and panicked and pointed his gun at Jack and shot him and Jack had a gun too. I didn't see them shooting but when it was over Ricard was on the floor bleeding badly," Adriana said. "He died right after the ambulance came...The paramedics saw Jack but he left before the cops came.."

"Are you okay?" Bruce asked her.

"Yeah," she lied.

"You sure?" Bruce asked and began to wonder why she hadn't looked him in the eyes at all.

"What's wrong? Did he die?"

"No, Jack's not dead," Adriana informed him.

"Why are you calling him 'Jack'?" Bruce asked.

"Because that's his name?" Adriana replied, still looking at anything in the room to distract her from his gaze.

"I know that's his name," Bruce said, remembering when she poured out the entire story about his scars and every detail of his life that she knew when she came to Wayne Enterprises all those months ago. "But I never heard you ever calling him by it."

"Bruce I have to tell you something," Adriana said finally. The procrastination was killing her.


	63. Chapter 63

Chapter 63:

"What is it?" Bruce asked in a voice so warm that Adriana almost changed her mind about everything.

"I can't marry you," Adriana's voice excaped in a monotone and heartless sound that made her wonder if she had the nerve to do this without emotion.

"Tell me what's wrong," he said, his tone full of understanding and affection.

"You're going to hate me," she managed. "But I have to tell you because-"

"No I won't," he assured. "I love you too much to hate you."

"Yeah," Adriana began nodding for no reason.

"Just tell me," he said. "Whatever it is, you can tell me. I promise I won't hate you."

"Last night," Adriana said, double checking that her mind was sealed tight with no gaps to allow in any thoughts he might begin to have. "After I left the police station, I was with Jack."

"Okay?" Bruce said patiently. "So?"

"So.." Adriana looked away from him and decided that talking to a coaster on his desk would be easier. "I don't know what happened Bruce. I never wanted to do this to you..I never thought I would be unfaithful-"

"Unfaithful," Bruce said, now understanding.

"I'm sorry," Adriana said, still focusing her eye contact on the inanimate object.

"Are you?" Bruce asked in a tone that baffled her.

"What do you mean?" Adriana asked, prior to realizing that she didn't really want to know.

"I love you Adriana," Bruce placed a hand on his forehead and turned away from her. "I can forgive you for this..If you're sorry, I mean you just made a mistake.."

Adriana sat down and listened to her own thoughts in disbelief as he continued. She tried to agree with his rational and analytical words but couldn't.

"I mean this is probably my fault anyway," Bruce went on. "Denying you when you wanted to be intimate..I shouldn't have done that. This is just a mistake that I caused-"

"Why?" Adriana said in a quiet voice that halted his rambling.

"Why what?" Bruce said, just now noticing that she was sitting and looked as if she was in a distant deep thought.

"I'm insane, Bruce," Adriana said. "I mean mentally...I'm not right."

"What are you saying? That's not true-" Bruce added.

"I'm not playing with a full deck.." Adriana said, still sounding detached.

"Don't talk about yourself like that, Adriana. It was just a mistake," Bruce said and kneeled in front of the chair she was sitting in.

"That's just it," Adriana said, seeming to return to reality. "If I was sane..It would be a mistake, right? I mean, I would be thinking that I just made a mistake and get over it."

"I suppose," Bruce said, not comprehending.

"If I was sane this would be so easy, right?" she said with melancholy eyes.

"I guess, I mean I don't really know what you're referring to-"

"If I was sane!" Adriana said, virtually screaming. "There would be no question!"

Bruce looked at her in anticipation for anything words that made sense.

"And if I was sane.." Adriana said. "I would just chose you."

Bruce's heart sank when she looked at him again, apologetic and full of disgrace.

"Why is it him and not you?" Adriana asked while slowly removing the gem on her finger. He didn't answer.

He was silent long enough to make her feel disturbed.

"I'm gonna go," Adriana stood and numb as she placed the ring on desk.

"No!" Bruce said in a voice that reminded her of the reasons why he was apprehended by every lawless crook in the city. Why every criminal shuddered in fear. She stood frozen in place, afraid to move or speak.

"You're not going to do this!" Bruce said, growing gradually weaker after seeing the fright in her eyes. He was unprepared to watch her walk away."What are you going to do? Where are you going to go? With him?"

"Yes," Adriana said. "I love you Bruce."

"Adriana," Bruce said weakly. How could he tell her that watching her leave was worse than watching his destiny burn? "Adriana.."

"I'm so sorry.." she wanted to run.

"I don't understand," he said. "Do you know how much I love you? Only God knows!"

"I'm-" Adriana didn't know what else to do but apologize.

"I can't get through to you can I?" he said solidly.

"I wish I could get through to myself," she answered.

Bruce couldn't believe that she seemed so certain and sure about this. She showed no signs of hesitance or changing her mind. He could never accept this. He admitted that he could accept with great pain if she decided to leave him because she didn't want him and wanted to be alone but couldn't watch her go to be with Jack. Jack would be the one who would receive her affection and loyalty and goodness and not appreciate it

"Where is he?" Bruce asked.


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter 64:

"What are you going to do?" Adriana was now afraid again.  
>"Where is he?" Bruce asked, dismissing the question.<br>"Outside," Adriana said. "In my car."  
>Adriana's focus broke and Bruce's thoughts overpowered her own. His dissapointment and grief rang in loud and clear. He wanted answers and she gave him none. He felt as if she had made a fool of him. He wondered how she could tell him that she loved him but easily set him aside and instead take a man who he saw had nothing to offer. A man who he was certain did not want her as badly as he did.<br>"Bring him here," Bruce said.  
>"What are you going to do?" Adriana asked again.<br>"I'm not going to kill him," Bruce assured her, though he wasn't so sure he wouldn't beat him unconscious. "Go and get him now."  
>Adriana left the room quickly, grateful to get away from his thoughts and emotions which he hid so well. She ran down the the car and swung open the passenger door, out of breath.<br>"Come on," she said to Jack, who had put his hood on again.  
>"Come on and what?" he asked.<br>"Come into the house," she said. He noticed her distressed and saddened look and shook his head.  
>"Uh," he said. "I'll chill."<br>"What?" she asked impatiently.  
>"I'll chill here," he said and placed a hand on the steering wheel to show that he intended to stay in the car.<br>"Ugh," Adriana growled in frustration. "Just get out of the car! Now!"  
>"Sure," Jack said and opened his door. "If you want to see him kill me."<br>"He said he won't," Adriana said over the top of the car when Jack got out.  
>They walked quickly back into the house instinctively because of the wind but when they got to the door they both wished that they had walked slower. Jack insisted on walking into the office first, though Adriana was sure that she should walk ahead of him just in case she had to give him any warning that Bruce had changed him mind about killing him. Bruce seemed to wake from a deep sleep when they entered. He came out of his daydream and stared at Jack as he crossed the room. Adriana zoned in on his thought processes which she was surprised, didn't include murded. Bruce was surprised at how different Jack looked. Nearly normal, save the scars.<br>"Sit down," Bruce instructed Jack and Adriana. They finished crossing the room and sat at the two chairs at Bruce's desk. Bruce squinted as he stared at Jack's face.  
>"What?" Jack finally asked.<br>"Is that a passion mark?" Bruce stared at Jack's cheek. Jack's look shot to the right at Adriana who was half covering her face.  
>"Yes," Adriana mumbled.<br>"Okay," Bruce sighed and shook his head. "Jack."  
>"Yes?" Jack responded.<br>"Are you aware that this woman here that I love very much has just informed me that she want to leave me for you?" Bruce asked.  
>"Well, yes, that's what she told me that she was going to do," Jack answered. Bruce swallowed.<br>"I have a few questions for you," Bruce said. "I love her and I want her to do what she wants but, quite frankly, I don't trust you with her."  
>"Understandable," Jack said.<br>"Do you love her?" Bruce asked.  
>"Yes," Jack responded quickly to the easy question.<br>"Would you do anything for her?" Bruce continued his questions.  
>"Yes."<br>"Would you die for her?" Bruce asked, making Adriana uncomfortable.  
>"Yes." Jack answered, yet another easy question.<br>"Likewise. Would you live for her?" Bruce asked.  
>"What?" Jack responded with a question.<br>"Maybe I should be more specific with that question," Bruce elaborated. "Do you intend to go to prison?"  
>"No," Jack said.<br>Bruce mentally assessed that Jack hadn't done anything truly maniacal in several months. He had killed Ricard in self defense and had kidnapped Harri to get Adriana's attention and the prisoners to gain Bruce's. No one had been injured. "I'm going to let her go," Bruce glanced at Adriana. "But you need to live for her."  
>"Ok, and what does that require?" Jack asked.<br>"Very much," Bruce said. "I'll get back to you with exactly what I expect. But for now, you can't look the way that you do anymore."  
>"Huh?" Jack asked.<br>"You need to at least look like a halfway-decent human being if you are going to exist in this world as one," Bruce explained.  
>"Okay?" Jack said, unsure if he should be offended.<br>"Everything will be set up for you," Bruce stood and was now walking to the closet to put on his coat. "You'll be here for a while, at least until I've decided that you are acceptable for her. Pick a room on the fourth floor."  
>Bruce glanced emotionlessly at Adriana and quickly left. <p>


	65. Chapter 65

Chapter 65:

"Where did he go?" Jack asked after he heard Bruce shut the door.

"I dunno," Adriana answered amd shrugged. Bruce had shouted to her silently that he wanted her out of his head. Forever.

"So he could have gone to get a chainsaw to come back and decapitate us both with an you would just be clueless," Jack's atttitude rippled through his voice.

"That's really morbid and gruesome," Adriana said dismissively and went to the door. Jack followed her through the house and up the stairs. He hoped that she was going to her room to pack so that they could make a run for it. Instead, she entered the nursery and stopped him after he took a single step in the door. Harri was asleep on the couch.

"Wait here," Adriana whispered and closed the door soundlessly. "Harri."

"Hmm," Harri moaned and moved an arm. Her phone tumbled from her hand and she bolted upright quickly and grabbed it. She looked around the room still half asleep but awakened when she saw Adriana. She rubbed her eyes vigorously and dropped her phone again. "Adri?...Adri?"

"Yes," Adriana picked up the phone and sat next to Harri.

"Adriana!" Harri exclaimed and threw her arms around her sister. "Bruce and I have been worried like you can't even possibly imagine! My god..the news this morning! Is it true?"

"Ricard died, yes," Adriana said, wondering how she could sound so calm and emotionless.

"So, where is he? Where did the monster run off to?" Harri asked with tears in her eyes.

"He's not a monster Harri, it was self defense," Adriana explained. "Ricard came into my house and pointed the gun at him."

"He's a fucking monster," Harri declared. Adriana knew instantly that she was loud enough for Jack to hear."He is."

"Harri, Ricard started shooting first-" Adriana went on.

"Yeah, right," Harri said fiercely. "And the other 800 people he's killed all pointed a gun at him first, He's a monster. Where did he go? If you know then we have to tell the police."

"I can't tell the police," Adriana said and realized that Adrian was waking up.

"So what," Harri said, "Tell Bruce then, he'll handle it!"

"Bruce already knows," Adriana said. "He left."

"Good," Harri sighed. "Where'd he go?"

"I have no idea where he went."

"Well where's the monster?" Harri said. "Obviously-"

"Jack and I are back together," Adriana pat it out as fast as she could. "I told Bruce and he left."

"Who the hell is Jack?" Harri asked and stood up quickly.

"Adrian's father," Adriana answered. "The one you keep referring to as a 'monster'."

"Back together," Harri's voice shone with disbelief.

"I left Bruce," Adriana said. "I don't know where he went."

"Left Bruce.."Harri tried to comprehend what she was hearing.

"Yeah," Adriana felt a sharp stinging in her cheek the instant she said the word. Instinct caused her hand to fly protectively to her face but Harri was fast enough to slap her again before she could cover.

"Are you mad?" Harri shouted and swung again. "Have you completely lost it?"

"What the hell-" Adriana was hit again and stood up to grab Harri's arms to stop the attack but Harri pushed her down on the floor and continued hitting her repeatedly.

"Clearly someone needs to slap sense into you!" Harri said with a fiery slap following each syllable.

Adriana covered her face the best that she could and felt several more painful hits before it all stopped. Harri's weight on top her had been lifted and the blows halted. Adriana cautiously moved her hands away from her face and saw Harri crouched in the corner near the closet, eyes full of fear. Jack had picked her up off of Adriana and placed her on the other side of the room. Harri's thoughts were beyond frantic. She felt sure that this was the end of her life and that this man was going to kill her.

"It's okay, Harri," Adriana tried and failed to calm her sister.

"No," Harri was shaking. "Please, I want to leave."

"You can leave," Adriana said. "No one's stopping you, but you don't have to. I want you to stay"

"I want to leave now," Harri's voice sharpened.

"Okay," Adriana's voice cracked.

Harri stood slowly, never taking her eyes off of Jack. She eyed the crib in a glance and saw that Adrian was awake.

"I'm taking him with me," Harri said, her voice lacking any conviction. She sounded hopeless and worried.

"No," Adriana said as nicely as possible. "He's safe here."

"I-," Harri choked and looked over to Adrian in defeat and ran from the room.

"Harri!" Adriana shouted and ran after her. "Please don't leave!"

"What?" Harri snatched her phone from Adriana's pocket. "I'm out of here. You're insane. He'll end up killing you too eventually. If anything happens to Adriana I'll never forgive you!"

Harri grabbed her purse and stuffed in a few miscellaneous items and threw on her coat.

"Please.." Adriana felt abandonment even stronger.

"I love you Adriana, but I just..." Harri was running down the steps the front door, shaking her head quickly the entire time. "No. I guess I'll call mom and dad and let them know the wedding is off. If he kills Adrian too, I swear-"

"Harri don't talk like that. He's not going to hurt me or Adrian," Adriana said and saw that no matter what she said, Harri was now thinking of her as nothing more than a nutcase. Everything that came from her mouth went into one of Harri's ears and out of the other.

"I love you and I hope you make it out of this alive," Harri said and left the house, slamming the door behind her.


	66. Chapter 66

Chapter 66.

Part 1:

"You could've taken her," Jack said while he watched Adriana change the baby and clean his face. Her hands moved swiftly and knowingly as she changed the diaper and began to feed him.

"I couldn't beat her up, she's pregnant," Adriana explained.

"How did you learn all this?" Jack wondered aloud as he watched Adrian nurse.

"Nowhere," she answered. "Just natural I guess."

"Seems like you're doing a good job with him," Jack commented.

"Well thank you very kindly," Adriana smiled. "I'm dying. Let's eat." Adriana led him to the kitchen where they ate for over an hour until Adriana's satiation made her feel disgusted with herself. She wondered why she was still here in this house greedily consuming food that wasn't hers. She watched Jack take more bread to build his fifth sandwich and suddenly wanted to make him angry. Inside she was fuming at both Harri and Bruce for abandoning her and wanted to take it out on someone.

"I hate you," she lied in a voice sharp enough to wake Adrian who was dozing in her arms. "I fucking hate you right now, Jack."

"Mhm," he said carelessly. "Because they left?"

"Yes," Adriana wanted to scream but maintained her calm.

"If I leave," he said while spreading mayonnaise. "They'll both come back for sure. Do you want me to go?"

"You know I don't want you to leave, you ass," Adriana said bitterly.

"Okay," he sighed. "So why are you picking a fight with me for fuck's sake?"

"Because I need to argue with someone! Anyone!" she shouted and Adrian cried. "Someone needs to listen to me and stop dismissing me!"

"I don't get why you're so upset," he said. "He's given you free reign of his mansion and she was just going to continue kicking you ass if she was still here."

"I want him to come back," she pouted. "I hate this." She sensed Alfred coming into the house and he entered the kitchen promptly.

"Good morning," Alfred greeted them abysmally.

"Hi," Adriana replied and noticed the look of shock that her swollen lip and cut cheek gave Alfred.

"What on in God's name happened to you?" Alfred immediately turned to Jack for explanation.

"I didn't touch her," Jack said and quickly finished the sandwich.

"Harri went off on me," Adriana said, embarassed. "And she thinks I'm the crazy one."

"I see," Alfred said and took Adrian from her. "Well, anyway. Bruce has placed me in charge for the time being."

"In charge of what?" Adriana asked.

"You three," he said. "There aren't many rules. Just that Mr. Hayden will be staying on an empty floor and is forbidden to leave the house. Not that you would want to, the city is in hysteria-"

"That's it? He can't leave and that's all?" Adriana interrupted.

"Oh, and," Alfred went on and looked at Adrian. "I am responsible for caring for him and keeping an eye on him. He will not leave my sight and is not to be left alone with either of you."

"Either of _us_?" Adriana said angrily. "That's bull, we're the parents!" She was offended that Bruce had passed her off with Jack as insane and a danger to the child. "Jack-" Adriana turned to him for some kind of backup or support but he just looked at her as if she was making a big deal over nothing.

"I am in no way to prevent you from seeing your son," Alfred's aged voice went on. "It will be fine. This is only temporary."  
>"When is Bruce coming back? Where did he go off to?" Adriana demanded.<p>

"For the first time in my life, I do not have the faintest idea where he is or when he will be back," Alfred answered.

* * *

><p>The fourth floor of Wayne Manor showed just as much affluence as the rest of the mansion. Adriana found Jack's surprisingly lush and embellished room insantly. It reminded her of Bruce's showy apartmentment downtown. She walked through the modern living room area and saw the bedroom door wide open. Jack was sleeping fully dressed, laying on his back with a pillow covering the top half of his face. He woke as she eased to the bed next to him and put the pillow on his stomach.<p>

"I'm sorry that I said that I hate you," Adriana said, willing to say anything but that she couldn't bear sleeping alone tonight.

"I've had worse said to me," he said nonchalantly.

"I'm still sorry though," she let him know. "Can you please talk to me?"

"About what?" his short response let her down.

"Anything, I don't care," she said and moved the pillow up to his chest and placed her head on it. "Just talk."

"Are you confused about him?" Jack asked as if he had contemplated the question a dozen times. "You just seem way too torn up about about him leaving-"

"I want you," she said sincerely. "But I love him very much and I don't want him to hurt and I don't him to hate me. And I also don't want to hear myself talking right now."

Jack pulled her on top of him and in the same swift movement removed her nightshirt.

"So just shut up then."

Part 2:

Adriana fell from the bed and onto the floor when she heard the sharp knock on the door the following morning. Jack woke from the sound of her tumble and sat up instantly. She found a shirt on the floor and threw it over her head and began to walk to the door and the knock sounded for the second time.

"I'll get it," she said walked faster.

"Good morning, Adriana," Dr. Nathan didn't hide his surprise at all.

"Hi," Adriana said nervously. "What's up?"

"Well I am here to see a Mr..." Dr. Nathan looked quickly at the folder he was carrying. "Hayden? Is he present?"

"Yes he's here," Adriana kept the door half closed. "Can you give him like..ten minutes though?"

"Absolutely," the doctor responded. "I can wait downstairs. I am in no rush."

"Thanks," Adriana said and closed to door. "Get up the doctor wants to see you."

"A doctor?" Jack said, standing at the bedroom door. "A psychiatrist?"

"No," Adriana said and suddenly found her mind surprisingly weak. She couldn't figure out what Dr. Nathan wanted. "Just get dressed."

"Can you wash this stuff?" Jack asked and looked around the room, finding his clothes.

"Yeah, but I don't want to make him wait him for that," Adriana said. "I'll find something downstairs for you to borrow. Get in the shower."

"His clothes? No thanks," Jack laughed and tossed the bundle of clothes at her.

"Alright so then just put back on the same shit you had on yesterday," she said and threw the clothes back at him, sending them flying everythere. She felt strangely agiated and tired. "Or just stay completely naked like this. I really don't care."

"Damn, who pissed in your coffee?" Jack asked perplexed but unoffended.

"What?" Adriana asked, her mind still edgy.

"I'll wear his clothes," Jack said while shaking his head.

"Oh, okay," Adriana said and picked up the clothes from the floor. "I'll be back with these."

After a light run up and down the stairs to take the clothes down to be washed Adriana found various items in Bruce's wardrobe and swore to herself to return them perfectly so that he wouldn't be able to tell that they had been worn. She changed her own clothes and went back upstairs. After Jack emerged from the shower and tried on a few things they realized that the pants were slightly tight and several inches too long.

"They don't fit," Jack commented on the obvious.

"Yeah they do," Adriana said and looked for a shirt. "They fasten so they fit."

"Is that the rule for women's clothes?" Jack said and tried to pull the pants upwards.

"Well I'm sorry that Bruce's clothes aren't cutom made to specifically fit on you, your highness," Adriana responded with lots of sarcarm. She then knelt in front of him hoping to try to adjust the length.

"Well, I accept your offer of repentance," he said and moved to place a hand against the back of her head and used the other to unfasten the tight pants.

"Stop that," Adriana dodged his hand and closed his zipper then neatly rolled up the pants at the ankles.

"You're no fun," he said to her back as she walked out of the bathroom.

"That's not what you were saying last night," she said and found a shirt that matched the pants in the small pile of clothes on the bed. "Put this on. I'm going to go tell the doctor he can come up now."


	67. Chapter 67

Chapter 67:

"I do believe we have met before, Mr. Hayden," Dr. Nathan shook Jack's hand and adjusted his glasses. "Pleasure to see you again."

"Oh," Jack said, unable to think of response to give to someone who had told him that they were pleased to be seeing him. He sat quietly next to Adriana on the couch and they both looked at the doctor questioningly.

"Well, Mr Wayne has sent me here pretty much to examine you and to discuss a few things with you. Some things that we will talk about will be a bit personal," Dr. Nathan looked from Jack to Adriana.

"I can wait downstairs," Adriana started to stand but Jack placed a firm hand on her knee.

"No, stay," he said, surprised that she would even suggest leaving.

"Sure," Adriana responded tiredly and without protest. "Can you continue, doctor?"

"Certainly," Dr. Nathan said carefully, noticing the strange tension between the two. Suddenly he wanted to keep the discussion as brief and straight to the point as possible. "I've been asked to offer you laser treatments for facial scarring, an extremely detailed health screen, as well as a few cosmetic dental procedures. All of this is entirely optional for you, I am simply here to offer it today."

"Huh?" Adriana said as her heart raced unpleasantly.

"He's offering laser treatments, a health screen and dental procedures," Jack talked extremely slowly, as if he was speaking to a foreigner. "Sorry sir, she's a bit off. She's not quite with it this morning."

"I noticed," Dr. Nathan spoke. "Are you feeling ill? Whatever it is, I would prefer to take care of that first, this discussion isn't urgent."

"I'm fine," Adriana said, and physically she felt perfectly fine but her mind felt as if it was dancing on a razor's edge.

"Are you certain?" Dr. Nathan asked slowly.

"Positive," she said. "Please go on."

"Well, Mr. Hayden,"Dr. Nathan continued, still looking at Adriana doubtfully. "It is entirely up to you. The dental procedures should take no more than a week, and based on the extent of your scars the laser treaments should continue a little under two months, depending on how quickly your skin regenerates itself."

"Less than two months?" Adriana wondered why she felt a rock in the pit of her stomach.

"Yes. Maybe even sooner than that. We have technology much more advanced than what you would find in a typical dermatologists' office," Dr. Nathan explained proudly. "So what do you think," Dr. Nathan turned to Jack again.

"Uh, well..." Jack looked at Adriana. "What do you think?"

"It's up to you," she said numbly.

"Yeah, but you don't seem exactly thrilled," Jack responded.

"Are you thrilled?" she questioned what she could clearly see.

"Beyond thrilled," he smiled, wanting to proceed out of sheer curiosity about what this doctor could actually do.

"Then," Adriana swallowed. "Go for it."

"Alright then," Jack said to the doctor. "There's your answer, sir."

"Great," Dr. Nathan was smiling, ready for the challenge. "The health screen will probably take a while since I've been instructed to be very thorough. We can start treatments for the scars as early as tomorrow if you are absolutely sure that you wish to proceed with this."

"Sounds good to me," Jack stood to shake Dr. Nathan's hand.

"Wonderful," Dr. Nathan prepared to leave. "We can begin your screenings around noon, if that's a good time for you."

"It's fine," Jack said.

"Perfect," Dr. Nathan said and then took a step towards Adriana who was still sitting quietly. "I understand that you have said that you are feeling fine but I would like to give you a basic screening as well."

"Uh, huh," Adriana said and didn't look at him.

"Well I suppose that I will see you both later on today," the doctor said in departure.

"So," Jack said after he closed the door. "If you don't want me to do this I won't."

"Why wouldn't I want you to do this?" she asked the question mostly to herself.

"Who knows," he answered. "Just seems like that's how it is."

"Even if that's true," Adriana admitted. "It's up to you. It's your face and you're the one who has to walk around with it."

"Yes," Jack agreed partially. "But you're the one that has to look at me."

Adriana contempleted her backwards thinking in silence for a few seconds. She wanted to stop him and tell him to change nothing about his appearance but she couldn't bring herself to say a single word. It felt unbelievably selfish since she knew that she would never want to walk through the world the rest of her life with enormous scars on her face. So why should he have to?

"It's okay," Adriana fought emotions and spoke based purely on reason. "You'll always still be the same person. If you want it, then you should do it."


	68. Chapter 68

Chapter 68:

"Doesn't this room look exactly like a hospital?" Adriana asked Jack later in the morning when they went to meet with the doctor. They were over an hour early and Dr. Nathan hadn't arrived yet.

"Not with couches and a TV like this it doesn't," Jack answered. "Nice though."

"Don't turn on the TV," Adriana requested and took the remote from the foot of the bed before he could pick it up. He seemed to ignore her andpushed a button on the side of the TV to turn it on anyway.

"-wedding of billionaire Bruce Wayne has been postponed, presumably due to this week's earlier tragedy-" the voice of a news reporter came from the TV speakers on both sides of the room and Adriana shut it off right away.

"Postponed?" Jack asked. "One of those things people in the spotlight do, huh? Postpone until everyone forgets about it and then finally cancel when no one cares anymore."

"Whatever," Adriana said and sat on the soft bed to look outside the window and stared at a small pile of rubble and bricks.

"Are you mad again?" Jack asked after she sat and looked away. "What now?"

"I asked you not to turn on the TV and you turned it on anyway," she explained.

"What are you looking at," Jack paid no attention to what she said and walked over to the window.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Adriana asked him and he looked at her dumbfounded. "Did you hear me? I said not to turn on the TV and you still did!"

"Oh," Jack shrugged. "Didn't realized it was so serious." Adriana dropped her head into a pillow that she snatched up quickly, angry all over again because she heard a mild mocking expression in his voice.

"Forget it," Adriana threw the remote at the wall, sending the back piece and batteries flying in three directions. "If you want to watch the TV then watch it. I'm going downstairs so I guess I 'll see you when your examination is done."

"Isn't yours first," Jack walked over the TV and turned it on again with no problem. Adriana was relieved to see an airline commercial now playing instead of the news reports.

"I don't need an examination," Adriana made her way to the door to leave.

"Yeah you do," Jack said. "Someone needs to examine your head."

"Do you even think about what the hell comes out of your mouth, Jack?" Adriana was halfway out of the door but spun back around to him in rage. "Do you?"

"Sometimes, why?" he sat in front of the TV.

"Because," Adriana shut the TV in an instant. "If you thought _at all _about what you say you would know that you have no room to talk like that!"

"Talk like what?" Jack started to stand to turn the TV on again but Adriana pushed him back into the chair.

"You are the very _last _person on this planet," Adriana's voice grew louded with every word. "That should even be_ thinking _about telling_ anyone_, no matter how pissed off they are or crazy they get, that they need ot have their head examined!"

"Everything okay in here?" the doctor came into the room wheeling a small suitcase behind him. "I heard you from downstairs."

"Yes," Adriana's voice still came out abrasively but she toned it down immediately. "I'm going to wait downstairs."

"Well," Dr. Nathan started. "I actually wanted to check you out first, Adriana."

"Told you so," Jack said.  
>"Can you do it aferwards," Adriana ignored Jack.<br>"Okay," Dr. Nathan said. "But it may be a while."

"I don't mind," Adriana said, just wanting to leave.  
>"Can you please stay?" Jack asked. "What else do you have to do today?" Adriana didn't answer him but just sat angrily on the couch.<p>

"Let's start with yoru height and weight," the doctor said and led Jack to the scale and picked up the remote and batteries along the way. He placed them on the table and began measuring. After that, Adriana watched amused as Jack started confused at the blood pressure monitor that the doctor held out to him.

"Roll up your sleeve and stick out your arm, Jack," Adriana wanted to laugh.  
>"109 over 71. Very good," Dr. Nathan said and removed the cuff when he was done. He then used a tiny remote in his pocket to roll down a projector in the room and asked Jack to read several lines of letters.<p>

"Twenty-Twenty," Dr. Nathan praised. "Perfect vision."

"Are we almost done?" Jack asked afer several more basic tests.

"Almost," Dr. Nathan answered nicely. "I would like to ask you a series of questions and then I'll have a nurse take you for a few urine and bloos tests. You appear to be in great health."

"That's good," Adriana said.

"It sure is," Dr. Nathan said. "But a blood test will confirm that."

"So what are your questions?" Adriana asked the doctor curiously.

"Lots of basic health screening questions," he answered and pulled out a sheet of paper with small print and a blank line in between each question. "Have you ever had any problems with your vision, Jack? Blurred vision or double vision, anything like that"  
>"Yeah," Jack answered pensively. "I have had vision problems like that when I had a concussion a few times."<p>

"Outside of that?" the doctor asked and wrote on the paper. "Without a concussion?"

"Nope." Jack replied.

"Good," Dr. Nathan continued making notes."You will have a more thorough examination with an optometrist later this week. And since you've mentioned it, I would like to ask exactly how many times you have had a concussion in the past?"

"Uh.." Jack shrugged. "No idea."

"Can you estimate?" the doctor asked. "Two? Five?"

"At least twenty," Jack guessed. Dr. Nathan was quiet for a few seconds.

"Any fainting, blackouts or loss of conciousness with any of them?" the doctor was writing rapidly.

"All of them," Jack told him.  
>"And did you recieve any medical treatments after any of them? Cat scans?" Dr. Nathan asked.<p>

"Never," Jack answered simply.

"Alright," Dr. Natahn looked up abrubtly. "I will arrange for the nurse to take care of that too for you today."

"A CAT scan where?" Adriana asked. "Here?"

"Yes," Dr. Nathan smiled. "We have a machine. Mr. Hayden, have you ever suffered headaches as a result of your numerous concussions?"

"Not really," Jack answered. "Toothaches can be bad enough to cause a headache though."

"I see, " Dr. Nathan continued. "You might be able to squeese in an appointment with the dentist as well today. We are making great time since we all showed up so early to start today."

After asking many more questions the dector send Jack with the nurse for the blood and urine tests and he asked her to add in the CAT scan and full body X-ray. The nurse didn't hide her shock at all when she say who she was supposed to be examining. She didn't seem afraid at all but looked very excited. When they were gone Dr. Nathan wanted to begin Adriana's exam.

"Take a deep breath," Dr. Nathan listened to Adriana's heart through his stethescope. "Once more."

"You said you talked to Bruce," Adriana said after the second breath.

"Yes," Dr. Nathan removed the stethescope from around his neck and used a small light to look into Adriana's eyes. "He called me very early. Around five this morning."

"You mean," Adriana sounded calm. "From his regular cell phone? 267 number?"

"Yes, why?" Dr. Nathan answered and shined the light into the other eye.

"Nothing," Adriana's heart sank. She had called that number a hundred times the previous night and received no response. Bruce was ignoring her. "Do you know where he is?"

"I'm sorry, I don't," Dr. Nathan said quietly."You seem to be under a great deal of stress right now, Adriana. That isn't very good for your health. You look very tired and I want you to get more sleep. Take it easy for a while."

"I'll try," Adriana said and Jack and the nurse returned to the room. He had a tiny bandage on his arm where the blood had been drawn. The stick from a lollipop was sticking out of the right side of his mouth and he sat down on the bed next to Adriana.

"She alright, doc?" Jack pulled the candy from his mouth.

"She seems well enough to me but under stress, so I advised that she relax more," Dr. Nathan filled him in and then told Jack that he could begin the laser treatments that evening. He analysed the excessive scar tissue and considered them to be hypertrophic. He explained that it appeared that the healing process went beyond the limits that it normally would and that the elevation of the scar tissue could easily be reduced and removed with the laser. Pain would be minimal and creams would be applied after every treatment to reduce the sensitivity. Jack agreed to start the process that night and realized that it was going to be a very long day.

Part 2:

Adriana lay alone in Jack's bed that evening redialing Bruce's number over and over. She was alone for most of the day and had been listening to Bruce's voicemail message repeatedly. Since he was still using this number, according to what Dr. Nathan had told her, he would at least be able to see the 500 missed calles that she intended to leave. After hearing Jack enter the room a few hours later, she still continued to dial. He slid onto the bed and removed the phone from her hands.

"Are you still mad at me?" he asked and held the phone up.

"Yes-" she said and reached up for it and then she noticed a great amout of shine on his face in the dark. She reached up again for the bedside lamp this time and turned it on. His face looked exactly the same but slightly red and the skin of his scard was even more shiny that the most polished of leather. She willingly admitted to herself that she was relieved to see that the first treatment hadn't made a noticeable change in him.

"Why?" he asked. "Because I turned on the TV?"

"Would you really just leave?" she asked him. "You said that Harri and Bruce would come back if you left. Would you really just leave me like that?"

"Not happily," he answered. "But if you wanted me to leave then I would have not choice but to do so. I can't stay where I'm not wanted."

"I never _ever _want you to leave, Jack. That would be the worst thing that you could do." Adriana said, unable to shift her focus from the shiny skin to his eyes. "I just feel like you don't take anything seriously. I feel like you don't care about anything at all, including me. It's like I'm not important to you at all. Seems like you could just walk away and not feel anything, based on the way you act."  
>"Based on the way I act," he sighed. "Buy you know how I thin. You know what I really feel."<br>"Yeah," Adriana almost felt guilty. She could see in his mind that he cared. "But why do you have to act this way? It's disheartening."

"I guess I have to change then," he said. "I don't care what anyone thinks of me or how I come off as being to anyone, except you. The last this I want right now is for you to still want me and for me to dissapoint you enough for you to change your mind. What do you want me to do exactly?"

"It's hard to say," Adriana said, happy that he was being so receptive. "I just want you to know that showing an emotion other than anger, or indifference or acting as if everything is just a silly game isn't a sign of weakness. It's okay to be serious sometimes. Even if you don't know what to do just put in in your mind that that's what you want to do and take the first step and the rest will come to you naturally. It's kind of like how I felt when I first had Adrian. Like, all of a sudden I had this huge responsibility to keep him healthy and alive. I couldn't play aroun dof hide just because I never had to do this before or because I didn't know the first thing about taking care of a baby or how to be someone's mother. All I had to know what that I loved him and accept my responsibility. Even if I made mistakes at least I can say that I made an attempt. That's all I need you to do."

"Okay," Jack said, trying to understand. "I can at least try." He realized in his mind that he would probably never fulfill everything that she wanted from him but was glad that she seemed open to at the very least accepting an effort being made.

"I'm glad," she smiled. "So now that you know that..what would you do if I told you to leave right now. What if I told you I hated you again and started to throw things at you?"

"I'd say to you," Jack turned the lamp off, making the room dark again and moved his face close to hers. "You're going to have to work a lot harder than that to get rid of me, woman."


	69. Chapter 69

Chapter 69:

Part 1:

"Hello," Adriana snatched her phone in the morning and answered hoping that it would be Bruce, finally calling.

"Adri," her mother's voice said worriedly. "I wanted to call you yesterday but we had no phone connection, you know how East Africa is."

"Hi, mom," Adriana sat up and noticed that Jack was already gone for another day of back to back appointments of exams and treatments.

"Harri told us that there will be no wedding today, honey, we are so sad," her mother went on. "She told us that Ricard was killed by a madman!"

"Yeah, that's true," Adriana sighed and remembered that this was supposed to be the day of the wedding. She was also relieved that Harri apparently hadn't told her parents that Ricard was killed in her house and that she was there when it happened.

"We were still going to come and visit anyway, I want to see my grandson, but Harri said that the city is so dangerous that you and Bruce are leaving for a while?"

"Uh, yeah..." Adriana agreed with Harri's lies. Clearly Harri didn't want her parents to come to Wayne Manor if Jack was still there. "We're probably going to be back in a few weeks."

"Oh, Adriana," her mother sympathized. "You sound so depressed and down, my poor baby. I am so sorry about what happened to Ricard. I hope that the killer is caught soon!"

"Mhm," Adriana now wanted to end the conversation. "Mom, I'll call you when we decide to go back home so that you can visit us."

"Alright, let us know."

Part 2:

The ultimate confusion waas swarming Adriana's dreaming mind when she felt herself waking on a bed that felt as hard as a tile floor. For a few seconds the walls seemed to shift and changed color. The new walls seemed familiar in the darkness but she was too tired to place where she knew them from. Then she realized that she was laying on a hard floor with warm and wet moisture on her chest, stomach and hands. Blood. She looked around frantically in the dark for help and slowly a woman came into view, crouched in front of her. The woman crawled closer and Adriana could see long strands of hair touching the floor behind her fingertips as she crawled closer. She was staring at herself in the dark and the sight of Jack standing behind the table, across the room with a gun in hand confirmed that this situtation wasnt real. It was just another nightmare that she had to wake up from. The pain from where she was shot arose and she felt her heart unwittingly pumping harder, only sending more blood onto the floor. She looked at herself, still near her on the floor, now looking around the room at the flashing lights of an ambulance. Death was near and Adriana forced herself gradually out of the dream. In an instant the room changed and she was awake, back in bed and still in pain. A different and much milder pain.

"Jack?' Adriana tapped him softly, relieved to be in reality again. "Wake up."

"What is it?" he rolled over and she gulped apprehensively at the slight difference in his face. To her dismay, the laser treatment had begun to work and a few days of healing had produced mild, but for Adriana, unsettling results. She stared down at him, trying to imagine the flesh on his cheeks smooth, but her imagination failed her. She couldn't picture him with the scarring completely gone and assured herself that he would likely always have them, no matter how advanced this laser treatment being used happened to be. Her inability to envision the scars gone was comforting.

"Adriana, what?" Jack asked, impatiently wanting to sleep.

"Uh.." she thought a few seconds to remember what she had to wake him up for and the sensation of moisture on her leg reminded her. "Get up," she said to him sounding considerably humiliated.

"What for?" he asked, reluctant to part from his pillow. He looked over to the area where she had been laying and saw a liquid stain that looked black in the unlit room.

"I have to change the sheets."


	70. Chapter 70

Chpater 70:

Part 1:

"What is that? Blood?" Jack looked over to the stain on the bed after standing up.

"Yeah," Adriana turned on the light and started to pull the comforter and first sheet off of the bed.

"From where?" he asked and noticed the location of the stain, as she moved to remove the bedsheets, was only on the front of her shirt and some on her outer left leg.

"You know from where," she sighed and lifted the first corner of the fitted sheet.

"Doesn't look like it's from that," he said. "It all over the front of your shirt."

"Huh?" she looked down sleepy and confused. 'What the heck happened?"

"How am I supposed to know?" he asked. "Do you have an open wound?"

"No way," she peeled the shirt of instantly and spun in a circle and showed him. "Do you see where it is? I can't feel a wound."

"There's nothing," he said amazed.

"Maybe it's something else," she looked closely at the fabric on the bed.

"That's blood," Jack said sure of himself.

"Why is there blood here?" she demanded from him. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do a damn thing," he said truthfully. "Maybe you vomited blood all over yourself."

"In my sleep? Seriously?" she said.

"Maybe," he said. "Why not?"

"Maybe it was you then!" she said. "Maybe you vomited blood all over me! See how crazy that sounds?"

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You look spooked."

"No," she said. "You would be spooked too if you woke up with blood all over you."

"You looked spooked before you even looked down at your shirt," he told her.

"I had a nightmare," she said. "That I was bleeding to death and now I'm awake with blood all over me. This is insane." She bundled all of the sheets together, relieved to see that the blood hadn't gone into the mattress, and stuffed them into the sink to soak them in bleach and cold water. When she came back from a shower she saw that Jack had already remade the bed with a new set of much darker colored bedding that he found in one of the closets. They went back to bed quietly.

"So you had a nightmare that you bled to death?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Adriana relaxed under the soft new blanket. She hesitated a few seconds but decided to tell him the details of the dream. "I had a dream that I was Ricard and that I was laying in my kitchen on the floor bleeding to death. And I saw myself and I saw you...Then I heard an ambulance coming and I woke up."

"Did you really dream that?" he whispered.

"Yes," she answered.

Part 2:

"Adriana?" a familiar male voice called from behind her. "Is that you?"

At first she wanted to ignore the person who had recognized that it was her beneath the wavy deep red wig and large sunglasses. She kicked herself as she turned to the voice, knowing that her cover was blown. She was near her car in a parking lot, leaving after Ricard's funeral. She had to disguise herself to avoid any in depth questioning about the exact circumstances under which Ricard had died. But unfortunately the disguise had failed. After she faced the direction of the voice she relaxed slightly when she saw the tall calm looking man that approached her.

"Dr. Duprie?" Adriana called as he came closer.

"Is that really you?" he asked, now standing right in front of her.

"Yeah," she removed the sunglasses revealing sleepy eyes and quickly put them back on.

"Wow, I wasn't sure at first," he said. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you. It seems as if you want to maintain a low profile."

"That's okay Dr. Duprie, I'm glad to see you," she said and gave him a quick hug. "Since I haven't seen you in forever."

"It's a pleasure to see you too," Dr. Durpie said and nervously ran a hand through his slightly longer hair. "Are you going to the burial as well?"

"I haven't decided yet," Adriana said and wondered why he looked so uneasy, as if he now regretted coming up to her. She was too exhausted to see any detail of his thoughts but could at the very least see that he wanted to talk to her. "I don't want to risk being recognized again. I think I'll just go back home."

"Alright," Dr. Durpie said, now avoiding eye contact.

"You want to talk to me," she said finally.

"Yes," he said quickly. "But if you are bust and must go, I understand-"

"No, no," Adriana interrupted. "I have absolutely nothing to do but go home and play with my son, and I think that can wait an hour or two."

"Great," Dr. Duprie said, the wariness still not completely dissolved from his voice.

"Did you want to go to the burial though?" Adriana asked.

"No," he said. "I think I've seen enough misery and mourning for one day. I can't believe how many people were here, half of us couldn't even get a seat."

"Yeah I didn't have a seat either," Adriana said, not telling him that it was by choice that she stood in the crowded doorway that was the exit closest to where she had parked. There were a few seats still available when she arrived but she wanted to get away quick. The enormous cathedral was overflowing with Ricard's family, friends and fellow officers from both Gotham and Chicago. "So where are you heading?" she asked the doctor.

"Just back home," he answered. "I have some food going on the stove."

"I'll go with you," she said, wanting to finally see where he lived since he didn't think of about it home enough for her to ever get a good idea of what the place was like.

"Alright, I live pretty far from here," he said before they left. "But there shouldn't be any traffic at this time of day. Just follow behind me."

Dr. Durpie's apartment had the zen like quality of a place occupied my a monk or a minimalist. Everything was clean, spaced out, and as simple as possible but the aroma of whatever was cooking made the place feel incredibly decorative.

"Smells amazing in here," Adriana commented when Dr. Duprie took her coat and placed it in the empty closet in his living room followed by his own. "Who are you cooking for?"

"Myself," he smiled and checked his food quickly before returning to the living room. "Do you want anything to eat or drink?"

"Coffee would be great if you have it," Adriana took of her sunglassed and rubbed her eyes. "And anything with a ton of sugar."

"I can make the coffee," he said. "I have a cheesecake in the fride if you want it. It's sweet enough to send you into diabetic shock."

"That sounds amazing," she said happily.

Adriana was overjoyed when she tasted that he had made the coffee extremely stong and that the cheesecake was sweet enough to make her jittery. She was exhausted from going a little over a week week without proper sleep due to her recurring nightmare.

"So what do you want to talk to me about?" Adriana sipped the coffee with her eyes closed.

"Well," Dr. Durpie looked as if she had just put him on the spot. "I don't quite know where to start."

"Neither do I," she shook her head and piled more sugar into her coffee.

"How was your sleep?" Duprie watcher her miss the cup for the second time with her eighth spoonful of sugar. "Looks as of you haven't had any in a while."

"You're right," she replied. "I had six expresso shots a few hours ago and I'm still sleepy. I keep having the same nightmare over and over. It's not even frightening anymore, it's just a huge annoyance because I just go through the dream and then wake up and feel like I haven't slept. It's like I was awake there in the dream and now I'm awake here. No rest. It's a nightmare about when Ricard died...the first night I woke up with blood all over my shirt, I have no idea what that was about.."

"That sounds miserable," Dr. Durpie sympathized. "It's a good thing that you were disguised though. People would have been all over you for a proper explanation of what occurred."

"Yeah," she said and added more sugar into the steaming mug. "I really can't deal with that right now."

"Hitting the sugar pretty hard, eh?" Ricard commented.

"Yeah, well," she stirred the clumpy sugar at the bottom vigorously. "I need it. I'd rather be awake here than awake in a bloody nightmare."

"I've been worried about you for a long time, Adriana," Dr. Durpie said suddenly. "And I felt so guilty for a long time, even after the notice on the news about your suicide being false-"

"What?" Adriana cut him off. "Why would you feel guilty for that? Even if I _had_ killed myself, it wouldn't have been your fault at all."

"That's not exactly true," he said, still sounding guilt ridden. "With all of the medications that were on...ten of them...and then I just let you leave and didn't even warn you that such a sharp dropoff from drugs like that couldn actually make you suicidal, or make you do crazy things-"

"Dr. Durpie," Adriana said. "Don't even think about that. I'm fine."

"I wonder you really are," he released the words as of he had something to reveal to her but her mind was sucked dry from lack of sleep to find out what it was.

"What is it?" she finally asked. Her words slurred significantly in her sleepiness but she covered it by clearing her throat quickly.

"Like I said, I was worried about you for a long time," he stood up and paced back and forth and spoke rapidly. "I hope you won't take it the wrong way, but I had to keep an eye on you after you left..all those medications that you stopped taking. And then I heard about the suicide and I thought I would lose it..but I couldn't go to the police because really it was my fault...I'm the one that let you go through withdrawal from the drugs without proper supervision and what you were doing was a result of that and there was nothing that I could do about it but risking my own life..But then you got engaged and I..I mean i figured you were ignoring me, there was no way I could be out there for so long and you not know what I was there.."

"Dr. Durpie! Dr. Duprie! Slow down," Adriana put both hands up. "I'm so tired it sounds like you're speaking Indonesian! Please! Don't take what the wrong way? And going to the police about what would risk our lives? And what do you mean I was ignoring you?"

"You mean you didn't know? All this time?" he gaped. "You weren't ignoring me? You really have gotten an amazing handle on your mind then, what progress!"

"Yeah, someone helped me and now I can only hear things that I want to, and I have to strain quite a bit to hear them..except for when I'm asleep," Adriana said. "But right now I have NO mental energy left Dr. Duprie and you're really confusing the hell out of me. Now tell me what you're talking about with me ignoring you?"

"Well," he said, wondering what kind of amazing new psychiatrist she had seen. He now realized that she knew nothing about what he had been doing and he had to tell her everything. he didn't know how to. He left the living room and she heard him open and close what sounded like a safe with a digital combination and he came back holding a large manila envelope.

"Please tell me," Adriana rubbed her forhead enough to make the skin hot.

"Adriana," Duprie opened the envelope and removed the contents which looked like photos based on the shine of the white paper. "I would understand if you were creeped out or disguisted with this, but I had to spy on you for a while."

"Spy on me?" she pulled of the wig which felt like it was suffocating her brain. Maybe, she thought, with the unbreathable synthetic matherial on her head she could see things clearer, but it didn't work.

He sat the stack of photos on the table in front of her and said nothing more. They were all incredibly dark and clearly taken in amateur fashion but she could make out images of her house and she pushed aside the photos one after another. As she neared the middle of the stack her heart raced as she passed over several photos of a man, undenyably the Joker leaving her home throught the back door. She pushed the photos faster and froze on the last one. The photo showed both she and the Joker, his face completely painted, through a window with the lights low but bright enough to show them both kissing and wrapped in an oblivious embrace.


	71. Chapter 71

Chapter 71:

"Who have you shown these to?" Adriana rearranged the stack of photos shakily.

"How could I show them to anyone?" Duprie steadied her hands and sat in front of her on the table. "Knowing that it was me who let you stop medications so abrubtly and causing you to enter this...this...dangerous delerium?"

"I'm not-" Adriana started to say. "I _wasn't_ delerious."

"I know it seems like you were thinking clearly," Duprie said. "But your mind wasn't right. Why else would you-"

"Okay," Adriana silenced him. "Whatever. So you haven't shown anyone?"

"No one," he said. "I was afraid for you every day. I always thought that he would end up hurting you or worse but if I went to the police he would find out that it was me in no time and then he would for sure be angry with the both of us."

"Don't even think about it anymore," Adriana said. "I'm not in danger anymore."

"That's good to hear," Duprie sighed. "I was just wondering so many things."

"Oh?" Adriana said, though she didn't realyy care. She was ready to leave.

"Well, mostly about the child that you had," Duprie said carefully. "Is he...his?"

Adriana let her face sink into her hands and rubbed her eyes as hard as she could to try to keep them open. She pressed her fingertips into her forehead and massaged upwards and realized that the act was just making her more tired.

"It's okay!" Dr. Durpie said fast enough to scare her awake for a few seconds. "You don't have to tell me, I mean I have pried enough into your life anyway at this point and you owe me no explanation-"

"Yes," Adriana said. "It's his child, okay?"

"And the child is safe now?" Duprie looked worried.

"Yes he's fine," Adriana said and wondered what Durpie would have though if she told him that Adrian just fine and dandy at home with his father the Joker and temporary babysitter. She shook her head.

"Does anyone else know?" Duprie continued questioning her. "That he has a son? I mean, this could be terribly dangerous for you and the child."

"No," Adriana said. "My sister knows. My parents have no idea."

"What about your fiancee?" Durpie asked.

"Well," Adriana considered telling him the truth for a split second before deciding that it was a foolish move. "No, he has no idea. Of course not."

"Why did you create that suicide story and how did you do it? To hide from him?" Duprie was on a roll with his questions and showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

"Yeah," Adriana had to create some kind of believable story to tell him and her mind raced to make one up. "I guess my withdrawal started to wear off and I realized what I was doing. I had to excape somehow."

"So why did you come back?" Duprie asked. "You were gone so long, I never even say you pregnant."

"I didn't intend to," Adriana decided to mix in a bit of the truth. "But he kidnapped a lot of people and I didn't want them to get hurt so I had to go to the police station and find out where they were. I couldn't pretend to be dead anymore. One of the officers there must have let him know that they had seen me and that I appeared pregnant. He kidnapped my sister.."

"That's terribe," Duprie choked. "That must have been such a stressful time for you..All alone and having to deal with this."

"Well-" Adriana wanted to mention Bruce but remembered that she was supposed to meet him two weeks after she even had her son. "Yeah it was really stressful."

"Why did he let her go unharmed?" Duprie asked. "After he sliced Ricard's face-" 

"I don't know but I'm glad that he did," Adriana said quickly, unable to think of another lie.

"So what happened there exactly? With Ricard?" Duprie asked. "Did he want you to meet him at your house? Did he want to take your child?"

"Yes," Adriana felt that the questions were finally ending. "But I left the lights on in my car and Ricard was going by and saw them and he came in and started shooting-"

"Who started shooting?" Duprie asked. "The Joker started to shoot at him when he came in?"

"Uh," Adriana said, thinking quickly. "Yes, Ricard pulled out a gun too but it was too late." She decided that this would be a more believable tale than the truth. Ricard had drawn a weapon much soon and had fired many shots but she decided to make the Joker seem as malicious as possible.

"Where did he go?" Ricard said. "If you know then we can tell the police and when they find him you will have nothing to worry about. They will execute him immediately and he won't be able to come after you again. Do you know where he went?"

"Uh..." Adriana just wanted it all to end. She didn't want to see the Joker on every channel and on the front cover of every news paper, a silly manhunt that would last until the end of time. It needed to be wrapped up in some way.

"Do you know?" Duprie repeated.

"Yes," Adriana said. "But they won't find him."

"Why not?" Duprie asked. "They will get SWAT to go after him if that's what it takes."

"They won't be able to find him," Adriana kept thinking of a way to make him dissapear.

"But why, Adriana?" he asked again.

"Because..." she wondered if sleepiness was messing with her reason again but didn't care. It had to end. "Because he's dead. I killed him."


	72. Chapter 72

Chapter 72:

Part 1:

"You did?" Duprie asked, his level of suprise evident.

"Sure," Adriana groaned and decided to stop digging herself into a deeper hole. "Are these all you have?"

"Yes," Durpie answered and watched her gather the photos and shove them into the envelope.

"Okay, well I'm leaving now," she told him.

"But wait," he stopped her. "We should let the police know-"

"Don't tell the police anything," she ordered. "And if you do and they come to me about it I'll just tell them that I don't know what you're talking about."

"But why? You won't be in any trouble ot be convicted of anything, heck, they will probably throw you a party," Durpie said. "And why let the people of Gotham keep worrying about when he will return."

"Gotham will always have to worry," Adriana raised her voice and put the envelope safely in her bag. "If not about the Joker, then about the next villain. There will always be one and they'll always have someone to keep an eye out for."

"But-" Duprie barely got the word out.

"It's over," Adriana silenced him again. "Whether the police know or not, it doesnt really matter. As soon as they rejoice and let their guard down even an inch another menace will rise. Let them be preoccupied and guarded for as long as possible, Duprie. I just want to get on with my life and forget about the craziness of the past."

"Okay," Durpie had given up. "You're right. That's why I had to move out of the city. The madness there is neverending. I wonder what Gotham's next fate will be...even after this one small victory, it seems that it will remain an eternal ground zero."

"Don't even worry or think about it anymore, Dr. Duprie," Adriana said.

"I won't," he replied. "Too depressing."

She left and felt no guilt for her lies and she excaped and was once again back on the road. She had every photo safely with her and had been able to persuade Dr. Duprie to be silent and to not think too deeply into anything that he had seen or heard from her. All he wanted was to move even farther away from Gotham. As she drove aimlessly through the familiar streets and realized that she was too sleepy to find her way back home, she knew that she would need something powerful to keep her both awake and alert so that she wouldn't fall asleep at the wheel. After a quick fix she was on her way back to Wayne Manor.

Part 2:

"If you keep cleaning like this we'll need to get rid of our staff," Alfred took a scrubbing brush from Adriana's hand. "You've already cleaned this bathroom twice today. Is a third scrubdown really necessary?"

"I need to keep myself occupied," Adriana swiped the brush back and continued scrubbing around the tub. "What else am I to do, huh? This is going on four weeks that Bruce has been gone and he always ignores when I call him, Jack is always gone at appointments every day, Harri ignores my calls too, and you always have Adrian with you or he's sleeping. There's nothing else to do with my time."

"You drive into the city nearly every single day without telling us where you are going and then you come back here to scrub toilets and steam clean the same room three times in the same night," Alfred watched her go around to the other side of the tub. "It seems that you hardly sleep or eat."

"What is this?" Adriana stood up and dragged the bucket of soapy water. "What are you trying to say."

"I'm merely saying that I am concerned," Alfred explained.

"Well, there's nothing to be _concerned_ about," Adriana said and dumped the bucket into the toilet. "What you really should be concerned about is Bruce's dissapearing act. Maybe I should get a job, I should be a janitor."

"How ambitious," Alfred said under his breath as he walked to the door. "And by the way, the 'dissapearing act' is over."

"What?" Adriana dropped the empty bucket.

"Mr. Wayne will be returning this evening. I was almost sure you would have seen that in my mind by now," Alfred shook his head. "He will be very impressed with all of the sparkling toilets."

"So you talked to him? What did he say?" Adriana peeled off her sticky rubber gloves.

"Exactly what I've just told you," Alfred answered. "That he will be returning from his trip this evening."


	73. Chapter 73

Chapter 73:

"If you don't want to go and say 'hi', then don't," Jack suggested. He was looking into the bathroom mirror and rubbing a strong smelling ointments onto his dramatically smoother face.

"It's so weird," Adriana explained. "When Alfred told me he was coming back I was happy but now that he's here I just feel so fucking awkward. This whole situation..."

"Fine then just stay in here and hide forever," Jack said and opened another tube of ointment. "Your choice."

"Do you have to use so much?" Adriana asked and tossed the empty tube.

"No," he answered. "But if I don't use this much my face will turn redder than a fire hydrant. It would look like I still have paint on. Whatever kind of laser that they are using is no joke. But anyway, you should go downstairs. You're being rude."

"He disappears for a month and I'm the rude one." she said. "_That_ makes sense. I'll be right back."

"Have fun," Jack said as she left.

Adriana wanted to turn around and go back upstairs when she reached the first floor. She heard several cheerful male voices coming from the den. She walked quietly through the halls until she reached the room where Lucius, Alfred, Dr. Nathan, and Bruce were talking.

"Adriana!" Lucius saw and greeted her first. "How are you my dear?"

"I'm good," she said, and quickly looked away from Bruce after a milisecond of eye contact.

"That's good to hear," Lucius said.

Adriana suddenly felt out of place and ashamed. They all knew what a cheat that she was and they all knew that the Joker was upstairs and living in this house because of her lack of self control.

"She's been quite the busy body," Alfred said. "She cleans this place top to bottom on a daily basis."

Bruce sipped a whiskey on the rocks and didn't take his eyes off of her. She felt his stare but refused to meet it for longer than a second. When he looked away to pour more into his glass she stole the opportunity to look at him closely. She wondered if it was possible that he had become even better looking. His hair wasn't parted and smoothed by a comb but instead fell naturally almost touching his shoulders. The shadow of facial hair that had gone a few days unshaved made him appear dark and rugged, mirrored oppositely by his crisp unblemished suit.

"So is that the truth, then?" Bruce finally spoke to her. "Are you really scrubbing toilets all day?"

"Uh, yeah," Adriana answered nervously. She wanteed to get out of the room and felt insecure since all of the men looked formally dressed to impress while she stood in the doorway barefoot and in a denim jumpsuit.

"We'll give you two a minute," Lucius suggested and both Alfred and Dr. Nathan nodded, ready to leave the room.

"Uh, no," Adriana stopped them. "That's okay I just came down to say hi, so you guys can...uh, carry on."

"Well," Bruce said smoothly. "If you have a few minutes I'd like to chat. Unless you have another room that needs service."

"Oh," she muttered as everyone else left the room and Alfred closed the door behind him.

"Do you want a drink?" Bruce said and refilled his glass of whiskey.

"No, thanks," she said, still standing at the door. She crossed her arms nervously as he looked her up and down.

"Why are you standing all the way over there like that," Bruce asked. "I'm not going to bite you."

"Because this is weird," she said.

"Me being in my own house is weird?" he asked playfully. "Why is that?"

"Where did you go?" she dodged his question.

"Just, all over," he smiled. "All over the world. It was great. Didn't get called into the city much at all. The police department must be at the top of their game."

"So then you just decided to come back?" she asked.

"Sure," he rubbed his chin, still staring shamelessly. "I missed you. And I missed Adrian."

"Oh," Adriana said, still feeling on-the-spot.

"I'm going to be staying here for a while," Bruce said. "I need to check on a few things while I'm here."

"Check on what?" she asked.

"Well," Bruce poured more drink. "You and Jack."

"What about us needs checking on?" she asked. "And why won't you let us be alone with Adrian? Are we unfit?"

"I love Adrian, therefore I need to make sure he is safe."

"From me and his father? There's no abuse going on," she huffed. "It's more likely that he'd abuse _us_."

"You know that I love you, right?" he asked with a small smile.

"Uh," Adriana wanted to say that she was sure that he actually hated her. "Yeah, I guess."

"I also need to make sure that you're safe," Bruce said. "I need to make sure that he is good enough for you before I just let him have you and before you leave with him."

"Good enough?"

"Yes, good enough. Also I needed to check up on you. You're looking a bit thin there, and kind of tired."

"I'm not thin, and I'm tired from cleaning all day."

"No one makes you clean," he laughed. "So chill with that, alright? I'm paying several people good money to keep this place in order so don't put them out of work."

"I don't mind it," she said.

"And you are thinner," Bruce commented. "That thing you're wearing used to fit."

"It's called a jumpsuit," she told him, pointlessly.

"Whatever it's called," he said. "You used to fill it out better."

"So you're just here to call me out on how ugly I've become," she rolled her eyes. "I already know what I look like you don't have to rub it in."

"No, no," Bruce could tell that she was taking it the wrong way. "You look beautiful, okay?"

"See, now you're just trying to be nice and you suck at it," Adriana said. "I know that I look like shit and you dont have to lie and sugar coat it but you also dont need to point it out."

"I'm just noticing little changes, Adriana," Bruce said. "You're still a beauty-"

"Stop it, Bruce," Adriana hated the lies and thought of the rings around her eyes and her unmanagable hair. "You're probably glad right now that I went with Jack and you didn't have to marry me last month because now you'd be stuck with a wife that starting to look decrepit."

Bruce stared at her and wondered if she was still the same person that he had to walk away from a month ago. He saw something radiant and a blatantly obvious change in her face. However, something was off and he struggled to pin point what it was. She had never been dissatisfied or critical of her looks, which were still captivating. Bruce started to become curious about how Jack looked and figured that would have something to do with it.

"Adriana," Bruce sighed and rolled his eyes, the sound of alcohol finally surfacing in his voice. "Quit your whining."

"I'm not whining," Adriana knew that she was just stating the truth. "Nothing would make me happier than to look at least pretty or at least half way presentable right now, but that's not how it is. I'm just being blunt and honest."

"Okay, then let me be blunt and honest," Bruce said and swallowed the last of his drink. "You look tantalizing. If I would have married you last month and you were my wife, nothing would make _me_ happier than to have you bent over this table right now, but you don't hear me complaining."

Adriana was silent and taken aback but Bruce didn't seem to notice her abashment as he poured enough whiskey in his glass for a single swallow. He swirled the liquid around the remnants of the ice cubes in the cup.

"Speaking of Jack," he said and dropped in another ice cube. "I want to see him. Go and get him."

"Why?" she asked, still meek.

"Because my bill for everything that they're doing for him is up to almost eight million," Bruce said. "I think I deserve to see the progress."

"Okay," Adriana opened the door. "I'll get him"


	74. Chapter 74

Chapter 74:

"That's unbelievable," Bruce was touching both of Jack's cheeks with his fingertips and Jack winced and half laughed at the strong smell of whiskey coming from Bruce's mouth which was less than two inches away.

"Sure is," Jack said and backed another inch away from Bruce who just leaned closer and touched his cheek again.

"Okay, you've seen," Adriana pulled Jack away from Bruce before he could lean close enough to make the situation even more uncomfortable.

"They're doing a great job," Bruce commented again and reached for Jack's face again.

"Yup," Adriana tugged Jack's arm but he seemed to want to stay in the room to continue watching Bruce's hilarious intoxification. "Come on."

"Bye," Jack said and smiled in blatant amusement and Bruce noticed a dimple form in his cheek. It was clear that he was going to be a handome man when all was done. Maybe that what was making Adriana so uncomfortable.

"He's really weird," Jack said when they were back in his room. "Funny dude. I thought he'd kiss me, with how close he was was."

"He's not weird," Adriana said. "I've never seen you drunk before but I'm sure you'd be a funny dude too."

"If you say so," Jack threw the comforter on the bed back and began to speak invitingly. "You should stay here tonight."

"I stay here every night," Adriana ran a brush through her hair with great difficulty, still not feeling ready to crawl into bed and sleep.

"No," Jack said. "You stay all over the house every night buffing floors or scraping lime buildup in the showers and then you come in here at five in the morning to crash for an hour and then you get up and clean all over again."

"I have a lot of energy," Adriana gave up on detangling her hair and threw the brush on the dresser.

"Too much energy for someone who doesn't sleep at all," Jack said and walked over to her to wrap both arms around her waist. "Why don't you stay here and put your energy to good use, huh?"

"Hmm," Adriana succumed to his kisses on her neck and let him carry her to the bed.

"What are you doing?" he asked when he realized that she seemed to be pulling away from underneath of him.

"Trying to reach the light," she explained and pointed at the lamp beside the bed which created faint illumination. "Can your turn it off?"

"Why?" he asked, never hearing this request from her before.

"Just," she couldn't explain. "Nevermind." She closed her eyes and tried to pull him down to kiss her again but he felt stiff.

"You don't want to look at me," he stated.

"No," she said unconvincingly.

"Then you don't want me to look at you?" he asked. "Which is it?"

_Both._ She thought but could never allow herself to say it. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and fantasize in her mind that she was as beautiful as he was becoming. The face looking at her was growing stunning in its splendor and she couldn't help but feel inadequate.

"Okay," Adriana sighed and started to sit up. "Let me go and at least fix my hair."

"Come on, don't make me wait anymore," Jack groaned.

"You can't wait five more minutes?" she pleaded. "Just five minutes?"

"I can't wait five minutes for you to fix something that I'm going to mess up again five minutes later," he said. "This is the eighth day. Eight days you've been running around the house and running downtown into Gotham for who know what reason-"

"It hasn't been eight days," Adriana rolled her eyes at his exaggeration.

"Yes it has, you've been running from me for over a week," Jack informed her. "Why? Was it that time of the month? I forgive you, now forget about your hair."

"No-," Adriana struggled for a few seconds to remember the last time that she had a period.

"Fine go and fix your hair," Jack threw his hands up in the air. "It's probably already been five minutes that I've been arguing with you about it."

Adriana left the room quickly and went downstairs to her own room and rummaged through a bag in the closet until she found her calendar. She flipped through the small pages looking for where she would have marked the start and end of a cycle but didn't see any writing anywhere. Then she allowed the pages to flip bag to the beginning of the previous year and saw writing that showed that the last time that she menstruated was before she had become pregnant with Adrian. She shook her head several times and told herself that it was probably because of the intrauterine device that she had implanted. Maybe it would take a while.

"Something wrong with the bathroom up here?" Jack said when she came back, but didn't comment on the fact that her hair looked exactly the same.

"No," she answered and got back onto the bed.

"You're really confusing," Jack said and kissed her again. "If you really want the light off, turn it off."

She reached over and turned it off but before he could develop any feeling towards the fact that she actually _did_ turn out the light, she pulled him close for another kiss and squeezed his hips tightly with her legs. In the dark he behaved differently. He couldn't see her and everything he did seemed have the intent of creating a vocal response from her. Even a few mere seconds of silence from her dissatisfied him and he felt the need to press and thrust into her more agressively until the sounds that she made fluctuated unpredictably from moans showing pleasure and amazement to animalistic growling to woe and near crying. She wanted to push or pull away from him since he would always stop at the slightest hint of resistance from her, but she couldn't. Each time that she thought of making a move to let him know that she wanted him to slow down or ease up, another explosive wave would hit her and she was grateful that she had missed the opportunity to seek mercy. Her exhaustion at the end let her know that there was no way to avoid a deep sleep and the recurring dream but she was willing to put up with it now. As soon as she slipped into sleep, she wished that she hadn't. The dream had changed dramatically to one less tolerable and even more confusing. She was bound and surrounded by flames and suffocating heat. She was in hell.


	75. Chapter 75

Chapter 75:

Part 1:

"Good morning," Lucius said from the spot at the table where he sat using a computer.

"Buongiorno," Bruce greeted Adriana.

"Hi, Lucius," Adriana said and then turned to Bruce. "Hungover?"

"Not really, just tired," Bruce said. "I guess Jack can come downstairs now, everyone's gone."

Bruce referred to the cleaning staff and Julia, all who Bruce trusted but outside of the medical staff he decided that it was best that no one else should know that Jack was there. He would have to stay out of sight until the scars were gone entirely. Adriana went upstairs to get him and wanted to take another freezing cold shower since her stange nightmare left her covered in sweat when she woke up and her skin felt for a few minutes as if it were about to melt off.

"Dobar dan," Bruce said to Jack when he came down.

"Are you going to say that 'good morning' in every language?" Adriana asked and grabbed to plates near the the buffet that Julia had prepared before she left.

"Why not?" Bruce said and turned to Alfred who entered the kitchen. "Bom dia."

"Good morning, Bruce," Alfred opened the dishwasher to retrieve a bottle.

"Are you doing formula now?" Bruce noticed Alfred stirring the mixure.

"Yeah," Adriana said, without giving him the reason.

"Godan daginn," Bruce greeted Dr. Nathan.

"Hello, there," Dr. Nathan said. "I'll be upstairs, Jack. We can begin around 9:30."

"Sure thing," Jack took the plate that Adriana had piled high for him. The doctor left and Jack sat at the kitchen table next to Lucius and Adriana sat next to Bruce and watched Alfred pour three bottles.

"Sleep well?" Bruce asked Adriana.

"Uh, yeah," she lied. The nightmare was smothering and suffocating. "Did you?"

"Actually, no," Bruce said. "Couldn't fall asleep until four because of you two."

"Because of us?" Adriana questioned.

"Yeah, because of how loud you were," Bruce said. "Why don't you check out the last room in that hall. It's a long walk but it has a double king size, plus you won't keep everyone else here awake."

"Bruce, please," Adriana felt embarassed. "Stop it."

"What, I'm not allowed to complain?" Bruce laughed. "Sounded like you needed padded walls and a referee."

"_Stop_, thats enough," Adriana pleaded, not wanting everyone to hear. Lucius smirked and still worked on his computer without making a comment. Alfred was doing a great job of pretending to hear nothing. "You're being innappropriate."

"Oh come on," Bruce said. "We're all grown folks here."

"I've just been using earplugs," Alfred suggested before leaving. "The ones I have to use cost $300 but they're all that works." Lucius snickered loudly but still didn't look away from his laptop screen.

"Well, look at the time," Jack stood ffrom the table, looking even more amused than Lucius.

"It's 8:40," Adriana said but he was already behind Alfred on his way out of the kitchen. "Bruce, you're too much, you know that right?"

"Sounded like _he's_ the one that's too much," Bruce laughed.

"STOP," Adriana demanded.

"Oh come on, stop being so bashful," Bruce chuckled.

"One more remark and this plate is going to fly at your face," Adriana said.

"Fine, fine," Bruce gave up and stood from the table. "I have to go and show my face at work today anyway."

"Don't mind him," Lucius leaned forward and whispered to Adriana when Bruce went over to the sink to rinse his plate and bowl. "He tends to only poke fun of things that he's jealous of."

"Is that so," Adriana laughed and Bruce looked at both of them suspiciously.

"What did you say?" Bruce asked Lucius.

"Oh, nothing," Lucius answered.

Part 2:

"He was great, he didn't cry at all," Bruce praised and handed Adrian to his mother.

"I can't believe you wanted to take him to work with you all day," Adriana said. "I hope you didn't have him around too many people because he's just getting over a cold and I don't want him to catch another one. And I also hope you weren't holding him all day."

"I didn't have him around too many people," Bruce promised. "I mean, yeah, everyone wanted to see him or hold him but I only let maybe four people-"

"And what about not holding him all day?"Adriana asked and he shrugged in response. "Bruce! I told you about that, you're just conditioning him to expect to be held all day."

"Sorry, I just wanted to hold him because I haven't for so long," Bruce apologized. "Plus there wasn't really anywhere to put him down for a long time."

"Both your fault," Adriana said.

"Sheesh, you're so tempermental," Bruce laughed. "Why are you so moody?"

"I'm not moody, and what the hell is that smell?" Adriana asked and Alfred walked into the room to give her a bottle.

"I don't smell it," Bruce said. "Do you smell anything Alfred?"

"No," he answered simply and left.

"I do," she said. "Nauseating."

"What does it smell like?" Bruce asked.

"It smells...kinda like water."

"Like water?" Bruce laughed. "What the hell does water smell like?"

"I don't know," she answered.

"I poured a cup of water that was in the bathroom in the toilet and I flushed it," Bruce said. "But it wasn't stagnant or anything-"

"Let me see," Adriana handed Adrian and the bottle to Bruce and went into the bathroom to smell the area around the toilet. "Yeah that's it." She backed away from the toilet and put the lid down.

"So you can smell water?" Bruce laughed hysterically and Adrian looked at him frowning because Bruce held the bottle out of reach.

"I guess," she turned the sink on and off for a second and caught another whiff of the watery smell. "Yeah, I can." She waved her hand in front of her face and left the bathroom then quickly closed the door behind Bruce when he came out.

"That's hilarious," Bruce commented.

"Give him that bottle before he starts crying," Adriana said.

"Sorry, Adrian," Bruce said sweetly. "I'm too busy laughing at your funny mommy."

"Nothing's funny," she said and started to put away Adrian's tiny load of clean laundry.

"Hmm," Bruce hummed suspiciously.

"Hmm what?" Adriana asked.

"You're awfully touchy," Bruce said. "I can't say anything too you, it's like you're the most sensitive person in the world."

"Sorry you feel that way," Adriana said insincerely.

"Don't worry, I'm not taking any of it personally," Bruce told her. "I know that's just how some women act in the beginning when they're knocked up."

"Excuse me?" Adriana stopped folding.

"You're pregnant," Bruce shrugged as if it was obvious.

"No I'm not," she said.

"Are you sure about that?" Bruce asked. "Why else would you have the ability to smell water. Who smells water?"

"I'm sure," she said, not sounding sure at all. "It's impossible."

"Using something that's like 99.7% effective doesn't make it impossible," Bruce said. "It just makes your chances incredibly slim."


	76. Chapter 76

Chapter 76:

Part 1:

The wallet was gone and so was all of her cash. Adriana flipped her purse upside down and inside out and found that he had removed every cent. She reached for her jeans and coat that she had left thrown on the floor and encountered nothing but even more empty pockets. Every bill, coin, and card for both her and Bruce's accounts was missing.

"Jack!" Adriana yelled and saw in his mind that he had taken the items. She struggled to find the reason why at first since her energy was lessening hour by hour, but she knew enough to see that he had found out what she tried to hide.

"Yeah," he said while standing in the bathroom doorway, once again, moisturizing his face.

"Can I have my money and cards please?" she asked angrily. "Right now."

"Why are you asking me?" he asked innocently.

"Because you took them, don't play dumb," she said.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he turned away and went back into the bathroom.

"Yes you do!" she yelled and got up from the floor. "They're in your pocket."

"I don't have anything that you need in my pocket," he said.

"You're making me really angry," she said.

"I know," he replied and wiped the excess ointment from his hands on a hanging towel. He turned to her and frowned as he looked down at her angry face. He pulled a tissue from a box on the sink and handed it to her with a look of both triumph and defeat.

"What's this for?" she asked.

"Your nose is bleeding."

Part 2:

Adriana went through the dark hall, following the quick pounding sounds coming from the basement gym. She opened the door noiselessly, not wanting to startle Bruce, and stood near the door waiting for him to see her. Instantly, she was fazed by his drastic change in appearance. He had gotten a buzz cut and his face was clean shaven and as he hit the punching bag over and over, his look made her think of someone training for the armed forces. The muscles in his upper back and arms rippled and flexed under glistening skin and he continued jabbing until he noticed her and stopped abrubtly.

"What's up?" he said and caught a bead of sweat on his forehead with his arm before it could drip into his eye.

"I, uh," Adriana said, struggling to snap out of her stare. "Can I borrow some money?"

"Oh," he said and went back to swinging at the bag, hypnotizing her once again. "How much?"

"Um, not much," she wondered how she could ask without sounding entirely destitute. Even though she was too mentally fatigued to know what he was thinking, the tone of his voice told her that he was expecting her to ask for an exorbiant loan.

"When do you need it?" he heaved and gave the bag another break. "Right now?"

"Yeah, right now, sorry," she apologized.

"Well," Bruce shrugged, not knowing what to tell her. "There's a checkbook in that jacket over there. Break a leg." He pointed to a hook on the wall and went back to hitting the bag.

"You don't have any cash?" she said, interrupting him again. He sighed and took off his gloves and tossed them onto a bench.

"How much are you talking?" he asked her. "Do I need to go and open up a safe?"

"No, no, not that much," she said again. "I just want to buy a pregnancy test and I really want a Crunch bar, so I don't know, like ten dollars?"

"What?" Bruce didn't know whether to laugh or gape in astonishment. "You don't have any money? You still have the cards for my accounts, what's wrong with those?"

"No, I don't have any money or cards because Jack took them," Adriana said and continued quickly before Bruce could unhinge. "Don't worry, he's just got all my stuff in his pocket and he doesn't want to let me have any money-"

"Why in the hell not?" Bruce asked.

"Because I want to go downtown and he doesn't want me to," she explained vaguely.

"Once again, why not?" Bruce asked again. "He doesn't want you to take a test? Not going to change that face that you're pregnant."

"No, he doesn't even know anything about that yet and stop saying it like it's for sure," she said. "Don't tell him."

"I wasn't going to tell him anything," Bruce laughed. "So just tell him you're going to get a Crunch bar then."

"He'll think I'm lying," she sighed.

"Uh...why?" Bruce wanted to pry out of her whatever it was that she wasn't saying. He pulled his wallet out of the jacket hanging on the wall. "Is this some giant secret that only the power couple can know about?"

"He just doesn't want me to go into Gotham, okay?" she said.

"Yeah, and I don't want you to either," Bruce said. "It's after midnight. And why did you wait until know? Dr. Nathan was here all day, he could have done a blood test for you in no time."

"You don't have anything smaller?" Adriana pretended to be distracted from answering the question and took the hundred dollar bill that Bruce handed to her.

"No," he answered and handed her a ring of keys. "Take the Jaguar out in front so you'll get back here fast. Maybe you can find a ten dollar bill in the glovebox or ashtray."

"Hahahah," Adriana fake laughed and left.


	77. Chapter 77

Chapter 77:

Bruce was right about his car being fast. Adriana was able to zip in and out of Gotham City in no time. As she drove back she watched the speed and wondered how she couldbe driving so fast and not even feel it. The car was a bullet. She was almost afraid to drive something so lavish while she was so tired but the Jaguar seemed to drive itself. Bruce was still working out when she came back and she decided not to bother him and to just leave in his room the nearly $200 in smaller bills that he had tossed around in his car.

"Still went downtown, eh?" Jack asked Adriana when she came into the room and tossed her coat back onto the same spot on the floor. "After I told you not to go?"

"You did not _tell_ me not to go," Adriana felt herself flowing into sleep and sat down on the floor to try to pull off the heavy boots.

"Yes, but I implied that by taking your money from you," Jack said and kneeled down and pulled off one of the boots with ease.

"Don't worry about me," she said. "I can handle myself." The words were mumbled sleepily and she lay on the floor flat on her back.

"You can't even take off your own shoes," Jack said and slid off the other boot.

"That's because I'm beat," she said, relieved that he was taking off the socks too so that she wouldn't have to. "I'm going to the bathroom."

"Okay," he said and pushed the bag aside that she did a weak half crunch to try to reach. "Go ahead."

"Let me have my bag. It's not what you think, okay?" she said weakly.

"Then what is it?" he asked.

"Nevermind," she said. She didn't want to raise his suspicion anymore and the last thing she wanted was for him to find a pregancy test in her bag.

"Just relax," Jack said and massaged one of her feet.

"I don't want to fall asleep," she said sadly, feeling her body and mind shutting down.

"It's okay," Jack slid off her jeans and tight thermal pants. He then lifted her upper body to remove the sweater, long sleeved shirt and bra. He stood over her and felt the strange, unfamiliar sensation of fear when he saw how unpresent she looked. She looked completely faded and unaware of the face that she had just been stripped nearly naked.

"Don't let me sleep, Jack," she whispered, too tired to even open her eyes. "Please."

"Why not? It's okay to sleep-" he said.

"I had a nightmare...I don't want to have it again," she said with her eyes still closed.

"About what?" he grabbed a long shirt from his drawer and slipped it over her upper body.

"I was burning," she said as he lifted her carefully from the floor and placed her on the bed. "I couldn't even breathe or think or see. Maybe it's hell...the lake of fire. I'm going to hell, Jack."

"You are not going to hell," he said. "It's just a dream."

"It felt so real though, just like when I dreamed of Ricard," she said. "I deserve hell though."

"No, no," Jack said, barely understanding the mumbled words.

"I do...I've probably ruined someone's life before it's even started," she said.

"I can't understand what you're talking about," he said and waited for her to say more. She didn't. "Adriana?"

"Just," she dozed off. "If I start sweating alot..just wake me up.."

As soon as she said the final word she felt the blazing heat. She was gone into sleep again, the deepest sleep of her life. The fire was unimaginably strong, totally different from any other dream that she had previosuly of burning alive. This wasn't the natural burning of a house or a forest. This fire was explosive and fueled by some insanely powerful source. There was nothing that she could see, no wood or furniture, that was feeding these flames. She couldn't smell anything because the fire was mighty enough that with her single weak inhale, the fire flew through her nostrils lungs and burned her from the inside out. The relentless blaze melted on every part of her body, a burn so painful that she couldn't even think. No part of her, no matter how sensitive or delicate or how much pain it was in, was spared from the uncaring and heartless flames devouring her quickly charring body. She felt tied down and unable to move, trapped in this merciless, blazing, bottomless pit of misery and torment.


	78. Chapter 78

Chapter 78:

"It's okay," Bruce said wearily to Dr. Nathan after he checked Adriana's temperature again. "Just tell us."

"The fever is still increasing," Dr. Nathan said gently. "I will give her another injection in a few minutes but her body is not responding at all to the medication."

"So what do we do?" Jack asked, and both Dr. Nathan and Bruce looked at him as though he was missing something. As if he had missed the obvious ciritical main point. "What do we do now?"

"Jack," Dr. Nathan said as delicately as he possibly could. "It's been three weeks that her temperature has been 102. The temperature that I just read a few moments ago was 106. Typically, steadied at 105, brain damage is likely to occur."

"But what do we do for her?" Jack wanted more options and giving her injections that didn't work or giving her an ice bath every twenty minutes were no longer enough.

"She has no bacterial or viral infections. I can find no cause of this illness," Dr. Nathan said softly. "I'm so sorry, Jack."

Jack looked completely out of it, as if he was passing through some surreal and brutal corner of the universe that he never thought he would see. A place that never seemed real. He had always seen and caused people to mourn over loved ones but it always seemed like he was just watching something artificial and unreal. But now it was real, and it was unbearable. He didn't know how to mentally or emotionally handle this situation and started to feel anger. Anger at himself. After two weeks of the high fever, dizzied by dehydration and convulsions, and before slipping into her current lack of conciousness, Adriana made him promise that he wouldn't leave her side. No matter how ill that she became.

"Is there anything that we should do right now?" Bruce rephrased Jack's question.

Dr. Nathan looked sadly at Jack, who nearly never left the side of her limp body that was covered in skin that was red as a beet. Each blood vessel and a few arteries rose visibly to the surface of her skin, red and swollen, trying to disperse and remove the sourceless heat.

"I think that it would be best to not put off notification any longer," Dr. Nathan said.

"Okay," Bruce nodded gravely, accepting the responsibility.

Jack was still unable to fully absorb, comprehend and process what they were implying. He considered telling them about the nightmare that she had explained to him briefly, before this torment began, but what would that do? Nothing but prove that the cure of this illness was out of their reach.

"What's going to happen?" Jack asked bleakly.

"Even if the temperature remains the same and doesn't rise anymore," Dr. Nathan started to explain. "I'd expect even more severe dehydration within the next few hours. As for her mental state-" Dr. Nathan took a break.

"What.." Jack asked but truly didn't want to know.

"She has been fully and unbreakably unconcious for nearly twenty four hours," the doctor sighed. "She hasn't responded at all to the ice baths in that time frame nor to any other stimulus or noise. I have to diagnose her as comatose at this point."

"This is a coma," Jack looked at Adriana helplessly.

"It is," Dr. Nathan nodded. "I was not expecting such a sharp increase in her temperature. As I said, notification of any close family or friends that she has should be done as soon as possible."

"You sound like," Jack's breath quickened in panic, dizzied by the sound of the machines that she was hooked up to. "Like there's no hope."

"I need to be honest with you both," Dr. Nathan said to Jack who looked grim and fearful and to Bruce who looked murky and somber. "It seemed before that it was possible that she would pull out of this at some point but with this sudden spike, I'm not sure how much longer she will maintain respiration and a heartbeat. We will continue watching her very closely but if a miracle of some sort doesn't happen within the next day or so...out best hopes would be that if she maintains brain activity, she would still be living but in a persistent vegetative state."


	79. Chapter 79

Chpater 79:

"Did you hear what he said," Jack said while carrying an enormous bucket of ice into the bathroom.

"I heard everything, Jack," Bruce answered and picked Adriana up from the bed. Her skin was hot enough to cause him to break out into a light sweat after a few moments of contact.

"Vegetative state," Jack huffed and dumped the third bucket into the bathtub.

"Now isn't the time to be angry," Bruce said, feeling her skin burn through his own.

"You can put her in now," Jack said after the tub was full of water and ice.

Bruce kneeled at the tub and lowered Adriana into it slowly. His skin was beginning to look flush and he expected the icy water to feel good and to provide some relief but as soon as it touched his skin he recoiled at the frigid sensation. Adriana's legs and forearms were already submurged in the freezing water but she made no response at all. Bruce squeezed his eyes shut as he fought the urge to rush her into the water quickly so that he could pull his arms out. However, he managed to continue to place her fully into the tub slowly and then quickly pulled his arms from the water. He couldn't do anything with them but hold them out in front of him until they felt as least partially defrosted.

Jack knelt beside her, cradled her head in his hand and used a metal bowl to pour water over her face and neck. The long shirt that they left on her was transparent and clung to the body that was rapidly growing less red. After soaking, her skin and lips began to lose color and as her lips finally took on a bluish tone, Jack removed her from the tub. He savored the few moments that would pass soon after she was out of the tub. Her skin would go. But eventually, soon after, she would begin to heat up and redden once again.

"I don't know how I'm going to be able to break this to Harri," Bruce said. Harri was the last person that he wanted to call. he was sure that Harri would feel guilty for leaving Adriana out of contact for so long. "I can't even explain why this is happening."

"It's a nightmare," Jack finally told Bruce as he lay her onto the mattress in front of a fan placed in front of an air conditoner that would blow cold air through her damp shirt. "She was having nightmares about that cop that I killed and she woke up one night with blood everywhere. All of a sudden she didn't want to sleep anymore. She told me a little while ago that she was dreaming that she was burning in a hell.."

"Why.." Bruce started to ask while he tried to wrap his head around that Jack was saying. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"

"Because," Jack shrugged. "It's useless information. There's nothing that we can do..I considered leaving because it's probably a nightmare coming from me but she made me swear to her that I wouldn't leave, back when she was concious. I feel like I should leave now and maybe she'll get better..but she made me swear."

"Burning in hell.." Bruce looked at Adriana and wondered what she was feeling and if she was in any pain. She was trapped in her body.

"Do you believe that there is a God, Bruce?" Jack asked and rubbed an ice cube along Adriana's forehead

"No," Bruce gave him the answer that he gave to anyone who had asked him anything similar. "Do you?"

"Well, I never have," Jack said. "But now.."

"Now you do believe that there is a God?" Bruce asked.

"I don't believe, I _know_," Jack responded. "It's obvious. Every time that I look at her, I know that there is a God somewhere. Dropping a miraculous person into my life like this and then making me watch her suffer. This is my punishment."

"Jack," Bruce said sympathetically. "I understand that you haven't ever been through this aspect of life before but.."

Bruce talked as carefully as possible. Of course Jack had witnessed and caused hundreds of deaths and grief to probably thousands. But he had never truly experienced death and the profound loss that went along with it.

"No matter how much you love someone, or how much you care about them or need them, or how important they are," Bruce sounded shaky. "Even if they are someone's sister, or someone's mother, even if they are beautiful...people die. No one is promised or guaranteed to you."

"This is unbearable," Jack said. "I know that someday she'll die, everyone will but..this is the wrong way around. Someday, vegetable or not, I'm going to go first and she's going to see me put into the ground but I can't...cannot...bury this woman."

Dr. Nathan came into the room again to check Adriana's tempertaure again. Bruce and Jack sat in silence, expecting nothing.

"107.4," Dr. Nathan said quickly. "Please make whatever calls that you feel are necessary immediately, Bruce."


	80. Chapter 80

Chapter 80:

Part 1:

Bruce walked through the halls feeling numb and empty. He felt that he should be crying but that would make him feel like he had finally given up hope. Once in Adriana and Jack's room, he was mentally prepared to face the challenge. He would call Harri last but he needed to find who else he could contact first in order to warm himself up for the toughest call. Her phone was under her pillow, where she always left it and he browsed through the short contact list. He wasn't at all ready to call her parents, and preferred to start with friends or acquaintances but it seemed that she had none. That was easy to belive. He dialed the last number in the short list and gathered himself to deliver the news.

"Hello?" a sweet but heavily accented woman's voice sang.

"Uh, hello," Bruce said and looked at the phone to remember who he had dialed. The screen read 'Sidi/Aymara'. "Who am I speaking with?"

"Who are you speaking with?" the woman laughed. "You called us."

"I'm sorry, my name is Bruce Wayne and I'm just calling to contact-" Bruce started to introduce himself but the woman didn't let him go far.

"Bruce Wayne?" she asked as if this was a prank call. "Hahah."

"Ma'am," Bruce started again.

"Bruce Wayne," the woman sounded apologetic as if she had just remembered something. "You're marrying out Adriana! I'm sorry I am so rude!"

"That's alright," Bruce said, preparing himself. "Are you close to her?"

"Well yes, me and my mother," the woman said. "We haven't seen her much lately, unfortunately. She visits us spontaneously but anyways, how is she doing?"

"Not well, unfortunately," Bruce said. "She's fallen gravely ill. I'm contacting any close friends or relatives that I can."

"What? How did this happen?" the woman spoke faster. "What does she have?"

"The doctor isn't finding the exact cause," Bruce said and heard the woman calling for someone else and briefly summarizing what he had told her to someone else who spoke into the phone.

"Hello?" another woman said with a heavier Carribean sounding accent. "Am I hearing right? Adriana is ill?"

"Yes," Bruce said, hearing panic. The last thing that he wanted to cope with.

"May I speak with her?" the woman asked. "She is such a strong girl, she'll pull through."

"She's in a coma," Bruce informed her.

"Has she been in an accident?" she asked.

"No," Bruce said. "She's just developed a very high fever that's been over 102 for a few weeks. She's over 107 right now and the doctor believes that she will suffer braid damage if she hasn't already. He doesn't expect her to live more than another 48 hours-"

"Why does she have this fever? Can't he give her a medicine for this?" the woman sounded like an angry parent. "I don't understand."

"There's no cause that's been identified," Bruce said. "A friend of hers told me something about nightmares..I'm thinking it's caused by something psychological-"

"A nightmare?" she said.

"Yes, about being caught in a fire," he explained.

"She told me about this," the woman said. "Nightmares. She is picking this nightmare up from someone. I can't believe that it has affected her like this."

"Yeah," Bruce didn't know what more he could say.

"Does she have brain damage, you said?" she went on.

"We're not sure yet," Bruce answered. "The doctor thinks that it's likely."

"Where is she?" the woman asked and sounded as if she was rummaging around.

"At home, Wayne Manor," Bruce said. "You're welcome to come and visit her-"

"We are coming," she said, sounding slightly winded. "Right now."

"Alright," Bruce said. "Do you know how to get here?"

"We'll find it," she said. "And don't worry, we will help her."

"Oh," Bruce said. "I think that the situation is beyond help now."

"It's not," she said. "We can get rid of this immediately, it is no problem. The only issue is if she dies before we get there or if we do remove this gift completely but she lives with brain damage-"

"Remove a gift?" Bruce wondered if the woman was crazy.

"Yes," she said. "You know what gift I am speaking of if you know her at all."

"Okay," Bruce didn't say what he was thinking. That he believed in miracles but not in magic. "I guess we'll see you soon."

Bruce was suddenly hesitant about letting visitors come to see Adriana. Jack would not leave her side and he was unsure of how it would be to have people around him. Dr. Nathan and Alfred had forced him in the beginning to leave Adriana's side a few times a week to continue on with his treatments, just to give him something to do that would distract him from his misery temporarily. His scars were now completely gone and his face was perfect but Bruce wondered if he could still be recognized, if not by his face maybe by his voice and personality.

Part 2:

"Are you the doctor?" Sidi asked Jack when they arrived in the room. Bruce came in behind them carrying two large bags.

"Do I look like-" Jack started to answer rudely, but then it occurred to him that he may, after the transformation that he underwent, that he may now look normal enough to be a doctor. "No. I'm not the doctor."

"Adriana.." Aymara said weakly and walked over to the heart wrenching scene.

"Who are they?" Jack protectively stood in front of Aymara to stop her from coming any closer.

"Friend's of Adriana's," Bruce answered, knowing that if he explained the whole magic and gift removal, Jack would not allow them near her.

"Excuse me, young man," Sidi pushed past Jack and looked at Adriana. She clasped a hand over her mouth but instantly pulled herself together. "We must take care of this immediately."

"What's going on?" Jack asked defensively.

"They want to try to help her," Bruce said unconvincingly.

"They need to go," Jack pointed to the door. "Get out."

"Do you want her to live?" Sidi asked, and wondered who this harsh overly protective man was to her. "Or do you not?"

"There's nothing you can do," Jack answered.

"She's in a nightmare," Sidi said. "Picking it up with her sixth sense. We can remove it and this fever will stop, but I can't guarantee anything when it comes to how her mind will be when it's over. If she has some type of irreversable damage I can do nothing."

"It's so strange," Aymara said quietly while staring at Adriana. "Why is it so strong?"

"She must be picking this up from more than one person," Sidi said. "A close bond maybe. Do either of you know what this is?"

"No," Jack said. He hadn't thought very much into it.

"What do you mean?" Bruce asked.

"Why is she burning?" Sidi said. "Since you two men are in such close proximity with this girl then I believe it is coming from you both."

"This has nothing to do with me," Bruce said quickly.

"It may and you might not realize it," she said. "Think about this. Have you ever been trapped in a house fire or anything? The both of you? Or close to anyone who has died from fire?"

"Rachel," Bruce heaved and sat.

"Then it's confirmed," Sidi said, happy for any form of explanation or confirmation that her assumptions were true. "Move her from that bed onto a cloth that I'm going to put onto the floor. We must stop this now before it can progress any more."


	81. Chapter 81

Chapter 81:

"Please move," Sidi asked Jack again but he didn't budge.

"You're not going to touch her," Jack said and Sidi wondered why this man was so protecting and possessive. After looking at him for a few seconds she was able to parallel his face with another. He was her son's father.

"It's okay, Jack," Bruce said. "This can't get any worse so we might as well let them try. What else are we going to do?"

"Excactly, so move aside," Sidi said. He still stayed unmoved.

"Please," Aymara looked around him to Adriana. "We love her. We just want to help her and we won't hurt her, I promise."

Jack struggled to stand firm but the woman's honest plea made him poweless. He moved away from the bed quickly and underneath felt as if he was leaving his only cherished posession in the world, in her most frail and vulnerable state, to complete strangers. There was no faith in him in what these women claimed that they could do, but if they could do something he would never be able to forgive himself if he denied them the opportunity. Sidi spread a black cloth onto the floor and walked over to the bed.

"One of you," Sidi said to them "One of you men place her on the floor."

Bruce went over to the bed since Jack seemed as though he didn't want to participate in this procession at all. He carried her over as quickly as he could since her skin felt as though it would leave his with burns or blisters. Sidi knelt beside her body and took both of her hands and displayed an expression of suprise when she felt how hot the skin was. After a few seconds she closed her eyes and looked at Aymara.

"Bring me the bottle," she said softly and Aymara pulled a minscule bottle from a side pocket on one of the bags. She help Adriana's mouth open and put a drop of dark liquid on her tounge. Her hands began to move around in the air above Adriana's body quickly but with serpentlike ease. She then stood and pulled out a small brown pouch filled with a dark blue powder that she sprinkled over Adriana's midsection. She put a bit of it on her thumb and smeared it onto Adriana's brow.

"What now?" Bruce asked after Sidi spent a few moments sitting beside her body and saying nothing.

As soon as the question excaped his lips he noticed Adriana's skin was lightening. The veins and arteries that rose plump and high on her flesh with accumulated blood began to narrow, shrink and then dissapear. Her skin rapidly lost it's crimson, near purple, flushed and feverish tone and quickly went to normal.

"What's happening here?" Dr. Nathan came into the room and froze when he saw Adriana laying on the floor normal and healthy looking. He ran across the room to her and took her temperature immediately.

"101.4," he said in shock and noticed that she appeared to have regained conciousness. They all looked afraid and didn't know what type of mental or physical damage may have already occurred. "Adriana? Can you hear me?"

Her eyes were half open and she looked around near the floor but didn't seem to focus on anything. Then she looked Dr. Nathan in the eyes and frowned as if she was trying to recognize him.

"Doctor," her voice sounded frail as though it had gone unused for ages.

"Yes," he sounded relieved. "How do you feel?"

"Wh-" she closed her eyes again. "I'm dead?"

"No," the doctor said. "You're alive, you were sick for a long time." She didn't seem to listen and began to move her arms and legs in an attempt to sit up.

"I want," she started to talk but the doctor held her down on the floor and didn't want her to move around too much. He was even more overjoyed to see that she still had motor function and appeared to still have coordination. "Where's my baby?"

"He's down the hall with Alfred," Dr. Nathan said and began to shine a light into her eyes and moved it around. He frowned and began to move his hand around both sides of her head. "Adriana I need you to do something for me."

"What?" she looked to the left and right as Dr. Nathan snapped his fingers on one side of her head and then the other to check her hearing. She heard on both sides and looked perplexed as he snapped.

"Look at this light," he said and pulled out his small flashlight.

"I want Adrian," she seemed completely unaware of everyone else in the room.

"I'll bring him right here I just need you to follow this light with your eyes okay?" he said. "Don't move your head."

He moved the light around and she followed it in frustration. He waved his hand around and she pouted impatiently as she watched it. Her eyes froze when he waved his hand far to the right and she saw Jack standing in the corner of the room.

"What is it doctor?" Bruce asked, seeing that Dr. Nathan still looked dissatisfied.

"I can't be sure yet," he said. "Adriana I'm going to cover one eye, follow the light again."

He moved the tiny flashlight around again and she only watched it for a few seconds before looking back over to Jack. Dr. Nathan covered her left eye and she still looked over at him. Her moved the light around again to start distracting her and then covered her right eye.

"No," she pushed his hand away, frustrated by being unable to see anything.

"Adriana, do you feel alright?" Dr. Nathan said as she started to stand again looking thrown off balance as she sat, as if the world was uneven but she couldn't figure out what was wrong yet. The doctor listened to her heartbeat and looked into her eyes again and then into her ears.

"Yeah," she sounded like a small child and waved her own hand in front of her face.

"Dr. Nathan, what's wrong?" Bruce asked again.

"Well," the doctor smiled slightly. "It looks like she is much better than what I was expecting. She's responding to everything though she's slightly confused. However it appears that there is some vision damage, some type of damage was unavoidable but it seems minimal. I was expecting much worse.."

"Damage to her vision?" Bruce looked at Adriana. She appeared to be seeing just fine as she went back to staring at Jack.

"Well, yes," Dr. Nathan covered her right eye again and once again she squeezed both eyes shut again and pushed his hand away. "It looks like she is completely blind in the left eye and it's likely permanent. If she had any vision with it I would expect her to at least try to see with it or squint but since she is fighting my hand from covering it I'll assume that she can see nothing with it."


	82. Chapter 82

Chapter 82:

"You wouldn't believe how afraid we were," Sidi said. Adriana was soaking in a warm bath full of calming oils that Sidi mixed. It seemed to ground her back into reality and relaxed all of her muscles. Aymara sat across the room and nodded as Sidi used a loofah on Adriana's back. "And don't worry about your sight, dear, you will get used to it. One eye that sees is better than none. And don't worry about your gift being gone because it was taking your life."

"I know," Adriana said. She wasn't saying much as Sidi and Aymara spoke to her. She couldn't think of anything but Jack's face and she couldn't say a thing to Sidi and Aymara about it. They never could know who he truly was.

"So who is that man?" Aymara asked, though she already knew. She just wanted Adriana to explain.

"Who?" Adriana was still staring straight ahead, daydreaming.

"The handsome one," Aymara started to say. "Not Mr. Wayne, the other man out there."

"Yes, who is that?" Sidi asked. "Gorgeous fellow but he seems a little unsocialized, doesn't talk much. Maybe it's from stressing over you, girl."

"That's Jack," Adriana said. "Yeah he must have been really worried while I was sick."

"He's Adrian's father, eh?" Sidi assumed. "Made a little clone of himself haha!"

"Uh huh," Adriana answered.

"Well I guess we better hurry then," Sidi grabbed a towel. "Since your doctor wants to talk with you after he checks the bloodwork. Hopefully you are perfectly healthy!"

"I feel like I am," Adriana said.

Dr. Nathan asked for privacy in the room when he wanted to speak to Adriana. She wanted Adrian to stay with her but Dr. Nathan insisted that she part from him for a few minutes while he explained everything that he had checked for.

"You seem to be in good health," Dr. Nathan said and sat next to her bed. "Even though with things like this, some things might not show up right away. I believe that the vision loss is permanent but you've maintained perfect vision in the right eye. You will not be able to drive efficiently since you will not be able to see anything on the left side without turning your head."

"Oh," Adriana said. "That's not so bad."

"There are," Dr. Nathan sighed and took off his glasses. "A few other things I would like to talk to you about, a bit more serious."

"Is it bad news?" she said.

"Well," he answered. "To me it is, if I may say that. I have many concerns right now."

"Uh oh," Adriana flopped back against the pillow now completely hating the fact that she couldn't see what he was thinking. "Start with the worst bad new then to the not so terrible."

"I think I'll aproach this another way," he said. "I'll tell you what needs to be done, what's happening, and then my worry."

"Worry..." Adriana said and the doctor nodded. She wondered what he could possibly be telling her. "Ok..go ahead."

"Alright," he breathed in deeply. "The intrauterine device that you have in currently needs to be removed."

"Okay?" Adriana frowned.

"You are pregnant and whether you decide to follow through with it or not, it must be removed until you are no longer expecting," he said.

"I'm pregnant," Adriana remembered Bruce's assumptions.

"Did you know about this?" he asked.

"No..well I mean i kind of thought I was," Adriana said. "I'm still a little shocked though."

"I'm shocked myself," Dr. Nathan said. "I felt sure that with the state of your health for the past few weeks a miscarriage was imminent but amazingly that hasn't happened. Adriana, I need to ask a serious question. Do you intend to carry this child or are you unsure about it yet?"

"I'm never going to get an abortion I'm sure of that," Adriana said sure of herself. "Never. Why?"

"Alright," Dr. Nathan said again. He nodded quietly. "I believe you must know what my other concern is then?"

"Umm.." Adriana thought for a few seconds then gave up and shrugged.

"Well, I noticed that you had stopped breastfeeding Adrian and that was very responsible of you," Dr. Nathan said and Adriana noddedshamefully finally understanding. "I do know that you are a smart and responsible woman, Adriana, and its cleared from your system now but when you first fell ill and the first blood test-"

"Yeah," Adriana looked down.

"The amount of cocaine in your blood was astonishing," Dr. Nathan said. "And if you do intend to carry this child then you must know-"

"I know," she said, too embarassed to look at. "Never again."

"I want to make sure that you really know the risks," Dr. Nathan began a speech. "You can suffer from respiratory failure, stroke, nosebleeds, lose your sense of smell, even have a heart attack. It can increase your risk of having a miscarriage which leaves me even more stunned that you didn't. If you use during pregnancy you risk giving your child serious health problems and a premature birth or low birth weight. You would be giving the child an increased risk of having mental retardation, vision and hearing problems, cerebral palsy and many other birth defects-"

"Don't tell Jack," Adriana felt the need to cry. "Please."

"About what?" Dr. Nathan asked. "I'm not allowed to discuss any of this with anyone without your permission."

"About me being pregnant," she said. "He already knows about the cocaine, he was trying to get me to stop but..If he thinks I knew that I was pregnant while using it.."

"I'll leave that up to you to explain to him," Dr. Nathan said. "But please, Adriana. No more."

"Never, I swear," she promised him.


	83. Chapter 83

Chapter 83:

Adriana's room was full for the rest of the evening. Everyone seemed amazingly relaxed and appretiative. Aymara walked in circles, carrying Adrian around the room while her mother and Lucius spent several hours in a conversation with random and fluctuating topics. Bruce sat by her side and held her hand and talked to her in the most loving and comforting voice she had ever heard from him. Dr. Nathan and Alfred seemed to be spectators, watching the bliss and relief from of everyone. Jack kept to himself and seemed as if he had been spending forever waiting for everyone to leave. He felt unsettled because every time he looked up either Sidi or Aymara were looking at him. The look he consistently gave them back was of agitation and they looked away the instant that he made eye contact with them.

Sidi tried to talk to him a few times but he was very short with her and gave her an attitude that she stuggled to figure out. At first she thought that a man with his looks may be full of himself and maybe felt that he was too good to socialize with everyone else. But as she tried to pry full sentences out of him she realized that he seemed completely disinclined to have a simply friendly interaction. The feel that she got from him was one of austere, uncommunicative and almost cold reservation.

"I think we all should let her rest now," Dr. Nathan said to the room full of people as it passed one in the morning. "You must be tired."

"Not really," Adriana said, but she wanted some time alone and some peace. "But it is getting late."

"You ladies can stay here if you would like to," Bruce said to Sidi and Aymara. "There are plenty of rooms."

"Can he stay with me?" Aymara hadn't put Adrian down in a few hours. She looked at Adriana hopefully.

"Yes," Adriana said, even though she wanted Adrian to stay with her. He had gotten so big and it seemed like she had missed so much time with him.

"I'll put the crib in whatever room that you pick," Alfred offered, happy to have a night free from babysitting.

"Alright!" Aymara said while she, Sidi and Alfred left with the baby.

"Sleep well," Bruce smiled happily and kissed her on the forehead. Lucius hugged her and they both left quickly.

"Enjoy your evening," Dr. Nathan said to both Jack and Adriana and followed right behind Lucius and closed the door.

Jack and Adriana had yet to speak to each other since she had come out of the coma. He seemed to gravitate away from everyone and stood alone silently as isolated as he could.

"You're so quiet," Adriana whispered and smiled. He smiled a bit but then flew over to the bed and dropped his head onto her stomach and wept. "What's wrong? Jack?" Adriana was somewhat startled by this sudden display of emotion from him. She had never seen him crying hard and helplessly.

"I'm happy," he said and wiped his face before she could actually see the tears. "These past few weeks have been the most...crushing...nerve-racking...deploring...daunting.."

"It's okay now," Adriana smiled. "It's all over."

"I know," he smiled. "I'm glad everyone is out of here."

"Be nice to Sidi, okay?" she asked. "Saved my life so don't give her so much attitude."

"She's kinda fun," he said. "They kept trying to talk to me. She looked so angry when I wouldn't talk back and forth with her."

"What's so fun about being rude?" she asked and Jack shrugged, full of humor. "Just be friendly to her, you owe her for my life. If you want to be mean to someone, be mean to Aymara, she won't care. Sidi is getting suspicious."

"Nah.." Jack shrugged. "I can't be mean to that girl, she's too cute."

"Well, you're gonna have to talk to Sidi but," Adriana said. "Don't let her read your hands. They can't know who your are."

"I wouldn't let anyone read my hands," he said. "I like to be surprised."

He sat on the bed next to her and touched every part of her face. When he was done she took his face into her hands and beheld every detail. His face was dazzling but she could tell that he was not comfortable with being stared at. Whenever someone looked at his face for more than a few seconds he looked fidgety and anxious.

"No one's scrutinizing you Jack," Adriana said. She had noticed the insecure and nervous look that he had when Sidi and Aymara couldn't take their eyes off of him. "We're just amazed. You're dazzling."

"You're the one that's dazzling," Jack took one of her hands from his cheek and kissed it. Adriana had no idea if he was saying this to be nice or if he really meant it. After seeing herself in the mirror she felt that her beauty had completely faded and his had exploded onto the scene. It was if they had entirely switched places and now he was the stunner.

"I bet you look in the mirror all the time," Adriana joked but he didn't seem to get it.

"No," he said. "I mean when I shave I do."

She continued to look at him, dazed. He seemed less uncomfortable but still held onto a bit of timidity.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked. She blinked, still fazed but the hypnotic face, now asking her for a kiss.

"You don't have to ask that," she smiled and they embraced. In his kiss she could feel his longing and then his satisfaction. A supressed ache rose in his body and she felt his hands moving and squeezing everywhere, indulging until he realized that he needed more for fulfillment.

"Sorry," he said as he felt himself getting carried away. She looked down and saw his erection beneath his clothes.

"I'm surprised," she laughed as he moved his hands away from her body. "And don't be sorry, I want the same thing. I just feel pretty weak...maybe in a few days."

"Why are you surprised?" he asked. "Because I have no self control?"

"No," she said and poked him. "Because you're aroused by me and I look like death. If you don't come to your senses in two or three days , maybe i'll be up for this."

"Oh?" he said and ran his hand along this skin on her upper thigh.

"I look deflated," she was embarassed. "A deflated crypt keeper. Look at my thighs." She poked her leg which no longer looked very feminine or appealing.

"What's wrong with them?" he asked and kissed her kneecap and mid thigh.

"Clearly," she pointed to them both. "There are some obvious problems."

"Ohh," Jack said and looked closely. "I see."

"You do?" she wanted to pull her shirt back down and cover herself. He knelt in front of her and spread her legs apart and pretended to be observing something serious.

"Yup," he answered and kissed her lower abdomen. "I think the issue is that your thighs are not wrapped around my neck. Are you too weak for that?"

"Umm..no," she smiled.

"Good," he said. "Obvious problems solved."


	84. Chapter 84

Chapter 84:

Part 1:

"You were right, Bruce," Adriana said.

"I know," he said, not knowing what she was referring to yet. "I always am."

"I'm pregnant," she said and heard his typing slow down.

"Really?" he said and shut his computer.

"Yup," she said. "Figured I might as well let you know you were right. It's the least I can do."

"What does he think?" Bruce asked about Jack.

"He doesn't know yet," Adriana paced in Bruce's office. "I'm just waiting for the right time to tell him."

"Well, darling," Bruce said. "I'd say by now you're probably close to two months along. How long are you going to wait?"

"Until he forgets that I've been using cocaine," she said, still walking back and forth.

"Adriana," Bruce said with great dissapointment. "What on earth-"

"Not anymore," she let him know. "I never will again but I just needed it to keep me from sleeping-"

"So that's why you kept cleaning like a maniac," he said.

"Yeah," she said. "Should I just tell him? Maybe he won't really mind since I'm not doing that anymore."

"I'm a little pissed with you right now and it's not even my kid in there," Bruce said. "I don't know Jack well enough to know how he'd react."

"He'll be cool about it," she told both Bruce and herself.

"Well," Bruce stood from his desk and wrapped his arms around her. She felt so small and protected as she leaned her weight against him.

"Well..." she breathed through his shirt. "You sure do smell good."

"So do you," he said, and she could tell that he was thinking deeply about something. The right side of her face was against his shirt and even though both eyes were open she couldn't see any of the room around them.

"Can you tell me what you're thinking about?" she asked.

"Jack," Bruce said, figure that he may as well tell her what she would have been able to see in his mind clearly a few days ago. "And how I'm going to have to raise the bar for him even higher."

"Where is the bar now?" Adriana laughed.

"He needs to interact better with people," Bruce said.

"I know," Adriana explained. "I already talked to him about that."

"And now that you really are his," Bruce's voice trailed away. "I mean now that you've decided that you want to be with him and continue having his kids. I need to make sure he's at least an acceptable human being."

"And how will you do that?" she wondered.

"Spend some time with him," Bruce answered.

Part 2:

"He is such a little treasure," Aymara and Sidi were both in Adrian's room. Sidi had just fed him and he looked sleepy but seemed like he was fighting to stay alert in order to not miss anything.

"He is," Bruce agreed.

"You've got things on your mind," Sidi said, seeing it in Bruce's eyes. "Let's have a little chat."

"I'll take him," Aymara said and took the baby out of the room with her before Bruce could agree to have a conversation.

"You love that little boy don't you," Sidi smiled.

"Very, very, very much," Bruce said and sat next to her. "I just want what's best for him."

"Would you mind," Sidi had a hand on Bruce's wrist. He was extremely hesitant about letting her see anything since he knew for certain that she would know that he was the Batman.

"Not at all," he said completely letting down his wall of secrecy. The woman smiled in appretiation and held his hands for a long time. When it seemed like she was done, she stood up from the chair and walked around the room for a few moments rubbing her forehead.

"That was quite a shock," Sidi said. "The Batman...you..the same person?"

Bruce gave her a nod as an answer and she sat down again, looking if she had an enormous novel to summarize for him. She didn't seem afraid for herself which made him think that in his future there was no sign of Jack as the Joker.

"Mr. Wayne," she said. "You are up for the battle of your life soon. The city of Gotham..we think that it is a warzone now but we have seen absolutely nothing. The Batman...he..I mean you...it won't go on forever."

"Are you telling me that I'm going to die," Bruce wondered why he sounded so unconcerned.

"I never," Sidi clarified. "I never tell anyone if I see their death. People around them, their parents, children, friends, maybe I will tell them if the death can be avoided easily but I will never let anyone know of their own death. They then try to change fate and i can't have that."

"I see," Bruce said.

"But I will tell you that I see him falling," she said. "The Batman will fall and there is someone coming who wants you to suffer. He wants to torture you and he will. I see a woman, she wants this bloodshed. She will want to test you and she wants you to give up. I am leaving Gotham as soon as I can, I cannot be there when this happens. This is too much.."

"Wait, Sidi, wait," Bruce said. "Someone wants to torture me, personally? Or the Batman?"

"_You_," she said. "Because you are the Batman."

"Will I be exposed?" he felt alarm.

"It is so complicated and I cannot tell you much but," she said. "You will be hurt very badly. You will want to fight to the death to be the salvation of this impossibly dejected city."

"What about Adriana?" Bruce asked.

"She will be just fine," Sidi smiled. "I held her hands before I cleared her gift and she will be fine. She will have many children and she will be safe far far far away from here, because of you. But after she leaves, your turmoil will begin."

"I want her to stay here," Bruce said, knowing that it would never happen.

"Ahh, but you know that is not possible," Sidi said. "You will be a danger to be around because of this monster coming for you-"

"Wait, what?" Bruce asked. "Monster?"

"I don't know what he is," Sidi said uncomfortably as if she didn't even want to remember what she saw. "He will torture you, Bruce."

Bruce was speechless and didn't want to ask if she was sure. The things she was saying sounded like a nightmare but he knew that whatever it was, was unavoidable. Someone would know that he was the Batman and would torment him. He didn't want to stress over his own saftey and future at the moment. Whatever happened, he would get through it. He was only concerned with Adriana.

"What about Jack?" Bruce asked.

"He is in her future," Sidi shrugged. "Father of all of her children. I don't understand what she wants in him. He seems to be quite the isolate."

"Okay," Bruce realized that he really had no future with Adriana at this point. The only thing he had to look forward to was what Sidi had made sound like massacre and annihilation.

"The only way they she will truly be happy and safe is because of you making sure that she is taken care of," Sidi said. "You know what you need to do."


	85. Chapter 85

Chapter 85:

Part 1:

"No I don't," Bruce relied to Sidi. "I don't know what to do because it sounds like you're predicting the apocalypse."

"Well it did look like doomsday," Sidi said. "But I'm glad that I've seen it so that I now know to leave Gotham."

"You said that after Adriana leaves-" Bruce said.

"No, no," Sidi warned him. "Don't try to keep her here longer to prolong the start of this..That would only put her in danger too. Luckily you do not have family because this monster would go after them too. You must both physically and publicly distance yourself from her and then send her somewhere that she will not be easily found."

"Adrian too?" Bruce asked what he thought was a redundant question. Of course Adrian would have to leave too.

"I didn't want to go into too much detail about him yet, until I am sure that you fully understand the magnitude-" Sidi explained.

"I understand how dangerous things can get," Bruce said.

"I hope you truly do," Sidi said. "Keep Adrian with you for a while after Adriana leaves-"

"I'm sorry," Bruce smiled before letting out a laugh. "Adriana? As in Adriana Navarro his mother? She would never-"

"You will have to get her to part with him for a few months," Sidi said. "It is only temporary. You will take him back to her before the turmoil begins."

"But why keep him away from her?"

"He needs to learn everything about you," Sidi said. "He will admire and have great respect for you."

"Learn everything about me?" Bruce said back. "Is that even possible? That would take at least two decades."

"No, he is gifted," Sidi reminded Bruce. "He has learned so much already."

"Can you tell me what's in his future?" Bruce wanted to know.

"Oh, come now," Sidi laughed. "He is too young, far too much uncertainty now."

"I see," Bruce said.

"But now you know what to do," Sidi said and then smiled happily. "You will form such an elaborate plan and it will be very convincing."

"I always do," Bruce replied.

Part 2:

"Adriana?" Harri called when she came through the unlocked doors of Wayne Manor. "Bruce?"

The kitchen was empty but the stove was on and so was the bottle warmer on the counter. Harri looked around downstairs for a while still calling for Adriana and decided to check upstairs. Both Bruce and Adriana's bedrooms were empty but she could hear a TV blaring somewhere upstairs. After climbing two more flights of stairs she found the room from which the booming sounds of the voices of Spanish speaking news reporters was coming. She called for Adriana again but could barely hear herself over the TV.

"Adriana?" she called again and opened a door that led to a gigantic and full men's wardrobe. She shut the door quickly and opened the door next to it. Behind it was what looked like an unused and unappreciated sauna. The jacuzzi in the floor appeared to be being used as a hamper for colored clothes. The white clothing was piled in front of the standing sauna.

"Ahh!" Harri screamed when she opened the bathroom door. Jack took his second step out of the shower and quickly grabbed a towel to cover what Harri was unashamedly gaping at.

"Adriana's downstairs," Jack said, hoping that she would be turning to leave now but she looked bedazzled.

"Hi, I'm Harri," she spoked finally after continuous staring.

"I know.." Jack was getting confused. "Your sister is downstairs, okay?"

"Oh, I didn't see her. So who are you?" Harri asked sounding lively.

"I'm Jack," Jack said as if it was something that she should already know. "Jack?"

"Oh.." Jack watched her face go from kittenish to stupified alarm. "Oh..oh!"

"Yeah.." Jack held his towel and swung his free arm nervously.

"I'm gonna, I'm.." Harri said, still confounded. "Ok, bye!"

Harri made her way to the door but still couldn't remove her eyes from her face. She staggered and ultimately fell, hitting her eye socket on the edge of the marble sink. She collapsed onto the floor and clutched her eye, dizzied by the pain.

"Shit, are you okay?" Jack helped her up.

"Ow, ow, ow..." she cried.


	86. Chapter 86

Chapter 86:

"Harri?" Adriana asked the woman sitting on a bar stool at the kitchen counter. "Is that you?"

"Yeah.." Harri moaned in pain. "Hey."

"What happened?" Adriana was happy to see her sister but was wondering why she was holding a bag of frozen peas on her face. "Why do you have that over your eye?"

"I fell," Harri said. "Hi cutie!"

"Fell where?" Adriana said and moved Adrian over to her left arm. "Let me see."

"Upstairs," Harri said.

"Oh wow, Harri," Adriana gasped. "You're going to have a black eye."

"Perfect," Harri covered her watering and swollen shut eye.

"No, no, Adrian!" Adriana tilted her head away from his small hands on her chin.

"Hey," Jack came into the kitchen and opened a pantry.

"Hi-" Adriana jerked her head away from Adrian's fingertips again. "Jack come and get your child, please!"

"What's wrong?" he asked and scooped the baby from her arms.

"He keeps scratching me," Adriana said and noticed that Harri looked like she was trying to hide behind her icy bag.

"Didn't you get those baby nail clippers?" he asked. "He scratched me on my neck yesterday, you're letting him grow little claws."

"Can you clip them?" Adriana asked. "His fingers are too tiny, I'm scared to do it."

"Yup," Jack replied and turned to leave the room after noticing Harri's discomfort.

"And change him too!" Adriana called after he was gone.

Harri stared at the doorway after Jack left for several minutes and Adriana waved a hand in front of her face to get her attention.

"Earth to Harri?" she said and snapped her fingers.

"My God.." Harri sighed. "Damn, Adriana!"

"Are you in pain?" Adriana asked. "Is my little cupcake in the oven okay?" Adriana smiled and rubbed Harri's belly which barely showed.

"Are you okay?" Harri asked. "You're acting weird.."

"_I'm_ acting weird?" Adriana said.

"Yes," Harri said. "I think your little cupcake is just fine. But you keep asking me questions, I'm not used to that. You normally just know everything already.."

"Not anymore," Adriana said gratefully. "No more. I can see no one's thoughts no matter how hard I try. I'm also blind in one eye."

"Huh?" Harri flipped her bag of peas to the harder frozen side. "What? Did you have a stroke?"

"No," Adriana said and explained her sickness and weeks of extreme fever.

"I think I might end up blind in this eye too," Harri groaned.

"You'll be okay," Adriana assured her.

"So um..." Harri looked at the doorway again.

"It's okay Harri," Adriana said. "He's not going to hurt anymore, Adrian's okay-"

"I believe you...I mean, he gave me this bag of peas, how mean can he be?" Harri still sounded strange.

"Don't worry," Adriana said.

"So why is he still here?" Harri asked. "To be with his son?"

"Yeah, and me..?" Adriana was now getting confused. "What did you think?"

"Bruce told me that he was gone," Harri said. "So you're still together?"

"Yes, we're still together," Adriana said. "Bruce probably just lied to get you to come back here because I kept complaining about how much I missed you."

"Does he go out much?" Harri seemed like she wasn't listening.

"Who, Jack?" Adriana wondered.

"Yeah..I mean does he go into town and stuff?"

"No, he hasn't left the property since he came here."

"Good.." Harri said.

"For Gotham?" Adriana laughed, thinking that Harri still saw Jack as a dangerous threat.

"No, for you," Harri said.

"Good for me that he stays locked up in here?" Adriana laughed.

"Uh.._yes_," Harri frowned. "How long has he been...like...you know. Looking different?"

"Well all of his treatments were over a few weeks ago," Adriana said.

"So he plans to just...you know...stay hidden?"

"I don't know," Adriana said, wondering what Harri was getting at. "Maybe..I'm not sure."

"Adriana you'd better be sure," Harri said.

"You think he'd be recognized?"

"NO way, I didn't even recognize him at first until he told me who he was."

"So what the hell are you so worried about?"

"Adriana you said you're blind in one eye not both," Harri said. "Look at him! Aren't you a little concerned..?"

"No..." Adriana shrugged. "What do I have to be concerned about if he won't be recognized?"

"You must really trust him then," Harri shrugged. "If I had a man that looked like that I wouldn't let him out of my sight."

"You always overreact," Adriana shook her head.

"There's no way that you can be too visually imparied to see that I'm not overreacting."

"I can see that he looks good-"

"He's fucking hot!" Harri said. "I'm telling you, if you ever decide to let him out of here you'd better go everywhere with him and watch out for the women...shit, maybe even men too. Someone's going to try to snatch him up. That's why I said you must really trust him.."

"I do," Adriana said. "But I mean I never really thought of this though-"

"That's that first thing I would be thinking of!" Harri laughed and then stared off. "Especially with...with uh...let's just say that he's a big deal."

"Guess what," Adriana wanted a topic change. "I'm pregnant too."

"Noooo way!" Harri screamed happily. "Seriously! What does he think?"

"I haven't told him yet," Adriana admitted. "I will soon though."

"Well make sure you keep a hold on him," Harri smiled. "You don't want him to end up just being your baby's daddy."

"So what are you saying? That he's out of my league now?" Adriana said. "You don't think he'll stay with me?"

"I'm just saying that..I don't know if you're planning to or not but as of right now you're not married to him. I'm saying that if you want him to somehow blend in with society and venture out like a normal man..and then somehow, with good luck, get him to maintain fidelity," Harri shrugged. "You'd better be ready to put in work."

"Oh..." Adriana thought deeply. She trusted him...

"And another thing," Harri said. "Bruce was really convincing with his lie. He told me that the wedding was back on..it's even been on the news."


	87. Chapter 87

Chapter 87:

Part 1:

"Hello, Ms. Navarro!" the woman at the front desk of Wayne Enterprises greeted Adriana as if she had been expecting her.

"Hi, I don't have appointment but-" Adriana said.

"Don't you worry about that!" the woman shook her head as if Adriana was being silly. "I'll let Mr. Wayne know that you're here."

"Okay," Adriana rocked back and forth on her feet while the woman made a call.

"You can go up to the 34th floor, someone will meet you there," the lady said and pointed to one of the elevators.

Adriana took notice that everyone in the lobby was staring at her with smiles. Clearly everyone had believed Bruce's lies. Once she reached the 34th floor she met with a man who asked her to have a seat and told her that Bruce was in a meeting.

"I could try to call in to see if he could leave the meeting now but I can never be sure if he's awake," the man said.

"How can he be in a meeting and not be awake," Adriana laughed.

"Well," the man shrugged. "That's Bruce. I'll meet him when he comes out and let him know that you're here."

Adriana waited for twenty minutes before she could hear several voiced headed in the direction of the room that she was sitting in.

"What a pleasant surprise," Bruce came in with several people beind him.

"Congradulations!" several people sang one after one and a few of them gave her brief hugs and well wishes.

"Thank you all so much," Bruce said and shocked Adriana by kissing her in front of all of them. "May we have a few minutes?"

"Absolutely!" one woman said and everyone else agreed and left the room.

"Bruce, I'm gonna need for you to tell me what you _think_ it is that you're doing," Adriana finally spoke after they all left.

"We're getting married," he said.

"Yeah, Harri told me," Adriana rolled her eyes. "Tell me why or I'm going to set the record straight-"

"Don't worry about it," Bruce placed a hand on each of her shoulders. "It's just that, certain things have to happen right now. We won't be 'married' forever. Eventually we'll 'separate' but people will keep asking questions-"

"So why not just 'break up'," Adriana said. "Why even go through all of this in the first place? This is outrageous."

"Please just trust me," Bruce said. "I know it sounds like I'm about to create some craziness but I'm not. I was just talking to Sidi a while ago and-"

"And what? She told you that we need to get married?"

"No, but, some major things are going to be happening and I'll talk to you about that later but I just need to make sure that you and Adrian are okay. It's a life or death situation," Bruce wondered if he was exaggerating.

"I don't get it," Adriana said.

"I'll explain later, just go along with it for now. Please."

Part 2:

"No," Jack said while flossing his new and perfect teeth.

"He said that it was a life or death situation," Adriana said.

"For who?" he asked.

"Well, he didn't specify," she said.

"No," Jack said again.

"Alrighty," Adriana said and walked down to the kitchen where Bruce was slicing a cake. "Sorry, can't get married to you."

"Didn't you say earlier that you were going along with it?" Bruce asked.

"Yeah, but that was before I told Jack and he said no," Adriana reached for a plate but Bruce stopped her.

"Okay and?" Bruce said and pushed his cake further away from her.

"He said no, Bruce," she said again. "I told him that you said it's a life or death situation or whatever the case might be but he said no, alright?"

"So is he the boss of you?" Bruce laughed and Jack came downstairs and laughed at the situation. "Come on Jack, don't you want a blissful and happy life?"

"If it involves you having a wedding with her, to be honest with you I don't," Jack said. "Just to be frank, no."

"It's just for show, Jack," Bruce said. "Please."

"Fine, but you're not going to kiss her," Jack said.

"It's a wedding, Jack," Bruce replied not mentioning that he already had kissed her earlier in the day. "That's it."

"It's your call, then," Jack said to Adriana.

"I really don't give a fuck," Adriana said. "I'll do it, just give me that slice of cake."

"Mmmm, cake!" Harri came in and hugged Adriana for the sixth time that day.

"That looks really bad, Harri," Bruce commented on Harri's eye. "My God."

"Stop looking at it then," Harri said. "So I heard that you're going through with the fake wedding then?"

"Sure.." Adriana responded.

"So, Jack," Harri looked for an excuse to talk to him. "Why do you throw all of your clothes in the jacuzzi?"

"Ask your sister," Jack answered. "She does that."

"I should have known," Harri said. "That looks like something she would do."

"So when is this wedding and whatnot, Bruce?" Adriana asked.

"Two weeks and a half from now," he said.

"Outrageous," Jack said in response.

"And you and I will be spending a lot of time together during that little window of time," Bruce said to Jack. "I need to get to know you a bit better and I need to get you out of this house and into the world."

"Uh, Bruce," Adriana looked at Harri for a second. "Are you sure about that? Is that really necessary?"

"Yes, it's necessary," Bruce said. "We'll be going out tomorrow night to let him mingle a bit."

Jack looked apprehensive and didn't attempt to hide it. He couldn't paint his face or act the way that he had before. He would go bare and completely exposed. Would people stare at him? What would happen if someone recognized him and how would Bruce explain?

"It'll be fine," Bruce told them.


	88. Chapter 88

Chapter 88:

Part 1:

"Do I look normal enough?" Jack turned to Adriana after looking at himself in the full length mirror.

"You-" her breath was taken away. He looked glorious and lean in the dark grey suit that had just been fitted. His hair was cut earlier in the day but was still long enough to show his messy silkened waves. She closed her magazine and suddenly everything that Harri said to her was worrying her.

"What's wrong?" he asked. "This suit?"

"Can you stay here?" she asked. "Please?"

"Why?" he asked her.

"I uh.." she searched for a lie. "I don't feel well."

"What's the matter?" he asked with enough concern to make her feel bad for lying.

"Just don't go," she said pathetically.

"It'll be fine," he said. "If someone recognizes me I'll handle it."

"Okay," she said, thinking about something else. She kept hoping that he would see her worry but he seemed completely unaware. She wanted to hide him. "Where are you going to exactly?"

"I don't know," Jack answered and picked up Adrian. "Why are you letting him cry?"

"Because he's spoiled rotten now," she said and the baby stopped crying as soon as Jack was holding him. She took Adrian from him and shook her head in dissapointment.

"Do you want to go with us?" Jack surprised her by asking. "With me and Bruce tonight?"

"I'd rather Bruce went out by himself," she laughed. "I don't think he wants me to go with you."

"And you're right," Bruce came into the room looking like a common head turner. "We need to be heading out now. You ready?"

"As I'll ever be," Jack replied, unexcited. "I'll be back, I love you."

"I love you too," Adriana accepted his kiss and let him go off without her. She wondered how this night would go and what he was getting himself into. About fifteen seconds after the left she found herself crying in worry and wored hard to tell herself that it was going to be alright and that Harri was as wrong about everything as she always was.

Part 2:

"Who's your friend?" Alexandria asked Bruce once he was apart from the throngs of people following him around. "I've never seen him before."

Bruce had a group of people around him the entire night prying for his wedding and marriage details. A few individuals asked him outright about the details of his prenuptual agreement. Jack noticed that people were clinging together in small clusters, all of which he avoided. He wandered around alone, avoiding eye contact with anyone and accepting a glass of wine whenever a server offered him one. He felt people, especially women, looking at him and each time that someone began to walk in his direction he went the opposite way.

"His name is Jack, he's a good friend of mine from out of town," Bruce answered the woman that had been with in a brief relationship with before.

"Is he single?" she asked and gazed over at him.

"Why don't you go and ask him that?" Bruce rolled his eyes.

"Don't give me that look," she said smoothly. "I'm not the only one. I've counted eleven other women in here wondering the same thing."

"If you're so curious then go and ask," Bruce said and walked away from her.

Alexandria wondered how she would get the opportunity since he seemed to gravitate away from everybody. She waited until he seemed like he wasn't paying attention and was faced away from everyone before practically running over to him. A few other women gave her dirty looks as she crossed the room and she returned them all gleefully.

"How are you tonight?" Alexandria asked before Jack could walk away.

"Just fine," he answered and nodded. A complete stranger looking him right in the face was something unusual to him. But he rather enjoyed it since the woman didn't look repulsed or afraid or sickened in any way at all. She looked at him with admiration and it made him feel somewhat powerful. Maybe this was how Bruce felt all the time, he thought. "How are you?"

"I'm doing well," she smiled and felt tingly when she heard the depth of his voice. She was nearly as tall as he was and slender. Her hair was glossy, pin straight and sleek and her eyes were green and feline in shape. "I'm Alexandria. So you're a friend of Bruce's?"

"Yes," he answered. "Are you?"

"Well, we used to be friends," she laughed. "More like acquaintances now. Are you going to the wedding?"

"I think so," Jack said, unsure. Bruce hadn't let him know if he was invited or not. He didn't want this wedding to happen without his surveillance. "I hope so."

"I hope I get and invite," she said. "Bruce Wayne actually gettting married. Hah. I'd pay to see it. Do you know anything about the bride to be? I went to their engagement party a while back, she seems really...offbeat."

"Offbeat?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Alexandria said. "Like she and Bruce are a mismatch. So unalike."

"I agree," Jack said. Her offbeat self belonged with him, not Bruce.

"She's got the looks, no one's debated that but," she said. "Bruce needs a social party girl."

"Uh huh," Jack agreed.

"You seem kinda shy," Alexandria noticed. "I like that. Mysterious."

"I'm not," he said and heard her voice suddenly darken and sound seductive.

"You are," she said still sounding magnetic. "You're more interesting than any other man that I've met from Gotham, just far from average. And you're devistatingly handsome, gorgeous eyes."

"Thanks.." Jack said completely fascinated on how much looks could change the way that people treated him. He felt obligated to give her a compliment in return but everything about her looks, from what he could see, was worthy of commendation. "You're beautiful."

"Why thank you," she purred and bit her lip.

Jack was well past flattered. This woman had a choice to be anywhere talking to anyone else but she came over to him and spoke to him in front of everyone. She was unashamed and it was blatantly obvious that she wanted him. The experience was so surreal he felt that it was an idea or a dream but she looked too real to be a figment of his imagination. He felt his body take another step towards her and mentally jumped up and down because she didn't back away or withdraw from him. She was aware that all of the women in the room were looking at her with envy but she didn't care about that anymore.

"Let's get out of here," she whispered into his ear, in a desirous voice.


	89. Chapter 89

Chapter 89:

"Where are we going to?"Jack asked Alexandria as she pulled him down the street. he wanted to go back to tell Bruce that he was leaving but she dragged him away too fast for him to fight being swept along by his curiosity.

"Where do you want to go?" she asked but he was distracted by a couple that passed them on the street. Both people smiled at him warmly as they went by.

"Uh..." he said back and stopped to smile back at them.

"Do you want to go somewhere and dance?" she asked him."Do you like dancing?"

"Ah..no," he broke away from his hypnosis. "No dancing, I'm not good at that." He partially lied since he wasn't sure whether he was a good dancer or not, but he didn't want to dance with her in a crowd of strangers.

"Wanna go to a bar?" she suggested. "What do you like to drink?"

"No," he answered. "I don't really drink."

"So, what do you do for fun?" Alexandria looked dissapointed and asked as if there was nothing else to do for entertainment or fun but drinking or dancing. Jack instantly found her lackluster.

"Well lately I've just been chilling and relaxing, just appreciating my time with.." Jack searched for a word to describe her. "My best friend."

"Awesome," Alexandria smiled and Jack felt like maybe she had picked up on or assumed something that he didn't intend. "I know what it is that you like to do then."

"You do?" Jack looked at her doubtfully.

"Of course," she smiled. "Let's go to my place, I'm fully stocked." Jack had no idea what she was referring to but followed her in found himself wondering about her life and what her surroundings were like, things that he had never before thought about with strangers lest he feel some emotion, like sympathy.  
>She waved down a cab and told the drive her address and off they went. Once they arrived the cab driver told him that his machine for cards was not working.<br>"Cash only," he said quickly.

"Well you should have told me that before I got in," Alexandria said and flipped her sleek hair over one shoulder. "I don't have cash. Do you, Jack?"

"I don't think so," Jack said and looked into the wallet that Bruce had given him. "Oh, I do..I forgot."

"I'll pay you back when we go inside," Alexandria offered and smiled, clearly impressed by the amount of money that she saw in his wallet.

"Twenty two dollars," the driver repeated and Jack handed him thirty then stepped out of the car.

Alexandria led him up to her place happily. The spacious condo would habe impressed Jack more if he hadn't spent the past couple of months in the luxurious room in Bruce's mansion. She gave him the thirty dollars immediately and sat down in front of her couch.

"Sit," she patted the floor next to her and opened a small box on the table.

"You like sitting on the floor?" Jack asked and sat beside her.

"When I'm smoking I do," she smiled.

"Right," Jack said and watched her light up and paff away before making him smoke too.

"You don't smoke either?" she said since he looked uncomfortable and barely inhaled.

"Uhh, yeah I do," Jack lied in an effort to seem less boring. He didn't do any of the things that she found fun.

"Oh," she shrugges and they proceeded to take turns smoking.

"I like smoking," Jack laughed randomly after a few minutes.

"Your best frend does too, I bet," Alexandria ssumed.

"I guess," Jack said. "I saw her smoking a cigarette before, once."

"Your best friend is a woman?" Alexandria jumped. "Really?"

"Yeah," Jack answered, not understanding why she was so surprised.

"So, are you gay?" she inhaled again and held her breath for a few seconds to absorb the fumes. "Figures. Best looking ones always are."

"I'm not gay," he laughed.

"Did you used to be together and now your just friends?" Alexandria asked. "Well best friends?"

"No, we're still together," he said.

"Huh?" Alexandria raised her eyebrows. "Why are you telling me?"

"Because you asked?"Jack replied, feeling stupider by the minute.

"Don't you want to have sex?" she tiltedher head and she asked him.

"With you?" he asked, immediately regretting it when she gave him another look of surprise that made him feel even more idiotic.

"With me? Of course with me," she said and put out the light in the ashtray on her table.  
>"I, uh,..." he wondered what the right answer would be. Maybe the truth? "No, I don't."<p>

"Wha..." she wiped her nose idly. "Are you just not in the mood?"

"Eh, I think I'm always in the mood," he laughed alone.

"So...so..." she seemed startled. "You're not attracted to me? What's wrong with me? Is it because I smoke?"

"No, no," he said, knowing he couldn't rectify this conversation at this point. "No, miss, you look beautiful, perfect even."

"I don't get it then," she scratched her head. "Are you abstinent? Or you don't have sex then?"

"No, I have sex every day. I'm going to later," he answered. "When I get back if she didn't fall asleep yet...but she might be tired. My kid..I don't know if he's teething or what's going on but he's crying a lot and-"

"I'm so bewildered," she lit up again hoping the smoke would make her brain work better. "So you won't cheat on her?"

"No way," he watched her smoke, wanting to as well but she didn't offer.

"So then why are you here at my house?" she demanded.

"Well, you...You kinda dragged me here," he said and saw in her face that it was once again the wrong answer. "I mean you seemed interesting so I just followed."

"Oh, no," she started crying and her hand went over the ashtray again. "You're right..I'm so desperate."

"Huh?" Jack asked and she leaned her face on his shoulder smearing makeup on his sleeve.

"She's so lucky!" she cried louder in jealousy.

"Who is?" Jack asked uncomfortably.

"Your girlfriend," she wept. "I wish I had that. A faithful man that doesn't cheat..tells other women that I'm his best friend. I'll never, ever have that...And you have a baby too, you're so lucky. I want a baby."

"So have one," Jack suggested but she ignored him.

"Do you have a picture of him?" she asked and wiped her incredibly red eyes.

"Yeah," Jack showed her a photo of his son on his phone.

"Aww, I wan't a baby," she repeated and then squinted at the photo. "Are you sure that's not you when you were a baby?"

"I don't have any photos of me as a baby," Jack said uneasily.

"Ok, I believe you. He looks a little bit more..." she rubbed her eyes. "Is he mixed?"

"Yes," Jack answered.

"I want a baby," she said for the third time. "Maybe I'll find someone after I move. This place is terrible."

"Where are you moving?" Jack put his phone away.

"I'm moving to Norway in a few weeks," she said. "I am so over Gotham. I had to wait over a year to find a job abroad but whatever I'm glad that I can go now. I never want to see this place again. Not one single Gotham t-shirt, or news report, or post card. No Gotham memorabilia of any kind in my life."

"Sounds like you really hate it," he said.

"Since my dad was killed," she looked near tears again. "I fucking despise this place. He was killed by the Joker. God help him if he is ever found, everyone want's him tortured."

"Your father," Jack felt his heart drop.

"Uh huh," she cried. "He was driving at night, he had to pick me up from the hospital because I cut myself by accident but he never made it. The Joker shot at his car several times. It was right before he got arrested like the second or third time. I don't even know why...the Batman was there but I guess it was too late. Sometimes I think it's my fault for cutting my stupid hand and I had to go to the emergency room in the middle of the night to get stitches-"

"Alexandria," Jack wanted to sob too. "I am so, so, so sorry...please...I am so sorry."

"Thanks," she said and wiped her tears. "I just wish I could have had the chance to say goodbye to him. It was so abrubt, I wasn't ready. Gosh, now I'm sucking all of the fun out of this night, forgive me."

"It was senseless.." Jack said and felt as if he was watching himself from the sidelines and he remembered the exact night.

"Yes.." she said. "Devistating."

"Do you hate him?" Jack asked. "The Joker?"

"I don't like hatred," she shrugged. "I can't hate anyone and having a grudge won't change anything. I'm still torn up about it but I have to keep reminding myself every day to be forgiving."

"Why?" Jack asked. "Why forgive him?"

"It's been rough but it's all that I can do," she answered. "Anger...spite...my dad wouldn't want me to feel that toward's anyone. He was loving to everyone, even his enemies. He's always told me having hard feeling will only make me sick. To pardon is always best."


	90. Chapter 90

Chapter 90:

Part 1:

"Bruce is outside," Jack told Alexandria after he looked at the new text message on his phone.

"Aw..so I guess this is goodnight then," Alexandria said and mad a sad face. "This was fun. I can't believe we've been sitting here talking for three hours."

"Neither can I," Jack said.

"You and Bruce must be close if you can text him at three a.m. to come and get you," Alexandria laughed. "Where are you staying?"

"At Wayne Manor fr the time being," Jack answered.

"So you _must _be going to the wedding then," she said.

"I'll be there," Jack said with confidence. Even if Bruce didn't invite him, he was still showing up.

"Is your girlfriend going with you?" Alexandria asked timidly.

"She.." Jack almost answered in the wrong way. "No, she's not going with me."

"Ohh, can you bring a guest?" Alexandria was starting to sound excited. "You should take me."

"You really want to go?" Jack asked and wondered what the big deal was.

"Sure, but you don't have to take me with you, I was just playing around. Everyone wants to go to this thing!"

"I'll take you with me," Jack smiled and got up to leave.

"Really? You will?" she jumped up and hugged him. "You are the best!"

"Thanks," he hugged her back. "Goodnight."

Bruce didn't utter a word when Jack got into the car. As soon as Jack shut his door Bruce hit the gas and drove well over the speed limit but was stopped by none of the police cars that they passed. Jack put his seat belt on quickly and felt the need to grip the armrests but resisted to avoid looking afraid and silly.

"How was your night?" Bruce asked in a strained voice tinted with hate.

"It was.." Jack smiled. "Realy great-"

Immediately after hearing this answer Bruce stopped the car abruptly enough to make Jack really happy that he had fastened himself in. Without the seatbelt on, he knew that Bruce's sudden halt would have sent him flying through the windsheild.

"I'm only going to remind you this one time," Bruce said to Jack without looking at him. "I only have one expectation from you and that it to keep Adriana happy. If she asks anything about what happened tonight I'm going to tell her what I know. If whatever you've done makes her unhappy-"

"But-" Jack tried to explain but Bruce spoke over him louder.

"Let's just say that you don't have that option anymore," Bruce said calmly and started driving again. "It'll be a sad day for you when I see that you've let her down."

"Bu-" Jack started again but Bruce turned the radio to it's maximum volume until Jack could barely hear his own thoughts. Once they arrived Bruce left the car and went into the house before Jack could say anything to him. Jack felt at peace when he went to his room and saw that Adriana was still awake.

"How was it?" she started to reach for the bedside lamp but Jack came over to kiss her.

"Fine," he said but she pulled back.

"What's that smell?" she asked in surprise.

"What smell?" he asked, smelling nothing.

"Smells like.." she recognized Coco Madamoiselle by Chanel mixed with another scent. "Like you were smoking herb."

"I was," he said honestly.

"And?" she trusted him and waited for him to explain the perfume but he didn't.

"I'll go wash up, sorry," he said and quickly slipped out of the dark bedroom into the bathroom.

Adriana held onto her trust until the next morning when smeared stains of makeup on his shirt sleeve ruined it. She prayed that Harri was wrong and that there was some innocent and logical explanation for this but she still felt the need to investigate. She had to ask Bruce.

"Where did you and Jack go last night?" Adriana had just run down to Bruce's car right before he could pull off and leave for the city.

"_We _didn't go anywhere special," Bruce informed her.

"Don't try and protect me Bruce, just tell me everything," Adriana said.

"Jack went off with one of my exes, Alexandria, for a few hours," Bruce said. "He was over at her apartment and I went to pick him up, so I wasn't there and I don't know exactly what happened but.."

"Oh," she opened her door and needed fresh air. "Alright."

"Are you okay?" Bruce reached over and touched her arm as she got out of the car.

"Yeah, it's okay," she said and closed the door.

Part 2:

"This baby loves watermelon," Harri explained her enormous bowl of diced melon to Adriana. "You okay, sis?"

"Ughh..." Adriana sat down at the table.

"What's the matter?" Harri said with her mouth full.

"Bruce just told me that last night Jack spent some time alone with some woman," Adriana said. "At her house."

"Wow," Harri swallowed.

"I know you wouldn't say 'I told you so', but," Adriana spoked quietly. "I just dont think he would do that."

"Okay, then," Harri shrugged. "You know him a heck of a lot much more than anyone else so maybe you're right."

"But how can I be sure?" Adriana asked desperately. "Not knowing is terrible. How can people go their whole lives like this?"

"Get used to it, Miss former mind reader," Harri said. "Just ask him about it. You'd be able to tell if he's lying."

"I've recently realized that I'm terrible at reading body language since I've never had to before," Adriana said. "There must be another way to tell.."

"Well there would be signs," Harri thought.

"Like what?" Adriana asked. "He smelled like eau de parfum everywhere."

"Did you two have sex last night?" Harri asked and then explained her reasoning. "Normally guys won't cheat on you and then want more when they come back."

"He tried to but I told him no," Adriana answered.

"That's a good sign because most dudes can't go twice in a row like that," Harri said and then saw her sister's grim expression. "He does?"

"Sometimes," Adriana gave up. "I can't blame him if he did though."


	91. Chapter 91

Chapter 91:

'What are you looking at?" Jack surprised Adriana. She was laying alone in her own room in the middle of the afternoon and didn't hear him enter.

"Nothing," she answered lazily.

"Can I see?" he came over to the bed and picked up a few of the photos. "What...where...who took these?"

"Dr. Duprie," Adriana answered carelessly.

"Who?" Jack asked.

"He was your doctor, I've reminded you of this before," Adriana explained in an unemotional voice and looked back at the photo in her hands.

"Is this something we should worry about?" Jack asked and peered around to look at the photo that she was smiling at.

"Nope," she answered enamored with the photo of them kissing. For the first time she felt that these photos were a blessings. A gift of excape into the past. She openly admitted to herself that she missed the way that he used to look and regretted the change. Why couldn't she go back to that moment one last time? Why did she feel like the prime of their relationship had passed? Why did it feel like there was no where else left for them to go? "Did you like her? The girl you were with last night?"

"Uhh..." Jack's expression went to guild when he thought about Alexandria. "Yes. She's a good person."

"Oh," Adriana didn't know what to say. "Are you going to see her again?"

"Yeah, I invited her to the wedding," Jack said. "She really wants to go. She said everyone in Gotham does."

"So she slept with you to get invited to out fake wedding?" Adriana couldn't believe it.

"No, no, she didn't," Jack said, he was hoping that she wouldn't draw this conclusion. "I didn't sleep with her."

"That's nice," Adriana huffed.

"I'm not lying," Jack said.

"You were at her house, Jack," Adriana said. "Bruce told me. I know you've never been a liar but...I can't know what you're thinking now."

"I've always told you the truth," Jack reminded her. "Even back before I knew that you could tell what I was thinking.

"Was she pretty?" Adriana asked.

"She was beautiful," Jack said. "But we didn't do anything, we just talked."

"Talked? And then you invited her to the wedding?" Adriana rolled her eyes. "So now does she think that this going somewhere?"

"She knows that it's not going anywhere," Jack said. "I told her that I'm in a relationship. She got kinda sad then..started crying about how she'll never find love."

"Oh," Adriana believed him. "But, Jack, even if you didn't this time...I can't sit here expecting you be a fucking saint-"

"A saint?" Jack laughed. "Well sure, I'm the last person you should be expecting holiness from, but why do you say that?'

"Because you're a man and I feel foolish to expect you to just," Adriana sighed. "Go your entire life only experiencing the same one chick that you've already gotten with like a million times. I just think eventually you're going to want to try someone else."

"You don't leave me wanting for anything else," Jack said. "Not even the things that I used to love to do. All of the madness that I loved...I thought there was no substitution."

"I'm your substitute for madness?" Adriana didn't know how to take that.

"Yes," he said.

"Why? Do you think I'm crazy and mad?" she laughed.

"Not especially," he pushed her photos aside and eased his body onto hers. "See this?"

"See what?" she had to gasp.

"You are so..." he smiled, obviously pleased. "Responsive." He leaned close to her and breathed lightly on her collarbone and she left her back arch upwards reflexively.

"Oh.." she didn't care what he was talking about anymore but he kept going.

"I'm barely even touching you and you react like this," he finally pressed his lips lightly on her shoulder. "I like that."

"I see," she said.

"I realized that I do a lot of things for the feedback," he smiled. "Craziness, loss of control, madness, insanity, delirium, fear. Seeing it happen and knowing that I caused it, if feeds my soul. You take care of all of that for me and then some. I wish I would have found you sooner since I wasted all that time missing out on the best part."

"And what's that?" she smiled.

"Seeing you appear to be in some kind of euphoria and _wanting _it, actually wanting me," he smiled as if he had found the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. "And you responded this same way even when I looked like a monster. No one else in this world would have."

"But Jack," Adriana had to ask. "Why did you look so guilt ridden when I asked you about her?"

"Because I was rembering something that she told me," he said. "I killed her father."

"Oh no," Adriana gasped. "What happened?"

"It was a long time ago, hun," Jack informed her. "She was telling me about how much she hates Gotham and can't wait to leave. Said the Joker killed her father. She was just so down about it and I felt so guilty that I feel like I owe her. That's why I'm taking her to the wedding, though that hardly makes up for anything. I wish I could bring him back."

"She's welcome," Adriana said. "I'll make sure Bruce gives an invite to you both."

"Is all this why you've been so gloomy today?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I should've just asked you about this right away," she apologized.

"That's okay , just don't look so melancholy when Bruce comes back," Jack pleaded.

"Why? What did he say?" Adriana laughed.

"He said that he doen't want to see you unhappy and that basically my sole purpose of being here on this planet is to make sure that doesn't happen," Jack explained. "So don't walk around here looking like you're in misery because then he's going to think I'm not taking care of you."

"You care what he thinks now?"

"Yeah, since if he thinks that I'm not caring for you my ass is grass," Jack said.

"He wasn't serious," Adriana shook her head.

"He was serious and fucking scary," Jack told her. "Sounded like he'll take me out if you don't look like you're elated and bouncing off the walls all the time."

"Don't worry," she smiled. "I'm happy." She felt that this would be the perfect time to tell him about the pregancy but once again she bit her tounge.


	92. Chapter 92

Chapter 92:

"I'm going to see if they'll take it back tommorow," Adriana unwrapped the dense layers of plastic surrounding the wedding gown.

"What's wrong with it?" Bruce saw a dress worthy of praise.

"I'm disgusted with myself for buying something like this. What was on my mind?" Adriana shook her head. "There's people in this world and in the city with nowhere to live and nothing food and yet here I am buying and spending as much as I did on a damn dress that's been sitting in a closet for ages. People could have been eating with that money."

"Come on, don't be so remorseful it's just a dress," Bruce saw that she was unsatisfied with this response. "How about this, I'll auction it off after the wedding. We'll donate whatever it gets. It'll probably get more than whatever you paid for it after being in this wedding."

"Whatever _you _paid for it," she reminded him. "That's actually a decent plan. It's probably way too late to try to take it back now."

"Exactly right," Bruce was glad he convinced her to keep and wear this surprisingly splendid dress. It would fit in with how prolific he wanted this wedding to be. "Can you try it on? I want to see how it looks."

"That's bad luck for the marriage," Adriana said. "Good idea then. I have to find someone to help me though. It took me and the associate at the shop like twenty minutes to get it on perfectly."

"I'll help you," Bruce offered. "It doesn't look like it should take more than five minutes to put on."

"Wanna bet?" Adriana laughed and started to undress.

"Bet on what?" Bruce took the offer seriously.

"Whatever you want because it's not going to take five minutes," she said.

"Whatever I want?" Bruce laughed and carried the dress over to her. "Careful now."

"Yes, whatever you want," she smiled. "What is it?"

"I'll let you know after I win this bet," Bruce carried the heavy dress over to her and admired her body for a few seconds while she was distracted by the chore or pulling her hair up and out of the way.

"I'm going to time it on my phone," Adriana said and Bruce helped her into the dress. He had it on in no time.

"Three minutes and fourteen seconds," he said when he was done.

"Damn that was fast!" Adriana said after the dress was on and laced tightly and perfectly.

"Well, what can I say?" Bruce smiled. "I'm used to getting into heavy, complicated, form-fitting ensemble in only a couple of minutes."

"Does it look like it fits?" she asked.

"Perfectly," Bruce nodded in approval. "Looks like a Disney princess."

"So can you tell me now why we're doing this?" Adriana asked him. "The real reasons?"

"I would but I think it's best if we talk after this wedding is over with," he said.

"Well at least tell me how it ends," Adriana pushed for explanation of anything. "Give me something."

"It's going to end a couple of months after the wedding because of infidelity," Bruce detailed.

"On who's part?" Adriana demanded.

"I'll be the one cheating obviosuly," Bruce assured her.

"Wow, how are you going to fake that?"

"Oh, that part will be very real. I know plenty of women with big mouths."

"And so...you'll sleep with one of them and hope she talks?"

"At least three or four of them and they all will talk, happy to have some publicity and airtime. I won't deny their stories," he said.

"Wow this is a shame," Adriana laughed. "Then what? Is there a prenup?"

"We'll begin the process of divorce. I've already made it known to a few people that the prenup states that if this marriage does not last, you will leave it with only $1 million. Even if I'm the adulterer."

"Damn, out of your billions," she kept laughing. "Sounds like I really got the shitty end of the stick."

"To the public eye you do," Bruce said.

"Are you excited?" she asked.

"Divorce is always fun," he sighed and stared at her. "Can't wait."

"Not that," she poked him. "I mean are you excited to get with all the ladies. Looks like you've got the fever enough to enjoy it."

"I probably won't," Bruce explained. "I know women that are both loudmouths and will drink themselves into oblivion at any chance. I won't even have to do anything with them, but let them drink until they pass out and then tell them the next day how great it was."

"Why would you do that-" Adriana started asking.

"Damn it, Adriana you should have just married me and then I wouldn't have to deal with this. Jack doesn't want you more than I do," Bruce felt sure of his words.

"Yes he does," Adriana rolled her eyes.

"Maybe I should talk to him," Bruce joked. "Tell him that sharing is caring."

"Disgusting. You're not going to share me," Adriana said. "Jack would never pass me back and forth-"

"See but it wouldn't be disgusting," Bruce said. "Because if he said yet I'd keep you locked away to myself and it would never be his turn ever again. So you'd only be passed once, not back and forth."

"But sharing is caring, huh?" Adriana laughed in the dress that was starting to feel like armor.

"Don't look at me like that," Bruce said.

"Like what?" Adriana reached to loosen the corset of the dress.

"You look like you're thinking.." Bruce shook his head imitating her. "This poor, poor, horny bastard."

"Are you the mind reader now?" Adriana asked.

"I do believe I won a bet with you a few minutes ago," Bruce said and started to help her out of the gown.

"Uh, oh," Adriana said. "What do you want?" Bruce removed the dress quicker that he had put it on.

"Well," Bruce wrapped his arms around her from behind and put his chin on her shoulder. "I want you to tell Jack that you're pregnant."

"I am," Adriana wondered about his strange request. "What does that have to do with you?"

"Why haven't you told him yet?" Bruce asked. "Tell me the truth."

"Because I was using cocaine before I found out I was pregnant and I don't want him to worry," Adriana told him the truth without hesitation.

"What?" Bruce had a hard time picturing her using drugs. "Are you-"

"I'm not using now and I never will again, but he already knows that I was and.." Adriana said. "I guess I'm just scared to tell him. I feel like a terrible disspointment."

"He has nothing to worry about," Bruce told her.

"How would you know?" Adriana said. "There's so many risks.."

"Because Sidi told me everything would be fine," Bruce said. "All of the children that you have with him will be healthy."

"She said that?' Adriana said. "What else did she say?"

"Why don't you go and ask her yourself?" Bruce said. "Now go and tell him before I do it."

"All of the children?" Adriana hung on his words. "How many are we going to have-"

"Tell him, let's go through with this wedding and then I will tell you everything."


	93. Chapter 93

Chapter 93:

Part 1:

Adriana heard several voices downstairs and recognized both Sidi and Aymara's and a child's voice. She came into the the dining room hugged Aymara, who was sitting and talking to Harri.

"Who's here?" Adriana asked Harri.

"My neice, and my mother," Aymara answered and Adriana went into the kitchen.

"Can I try?" a little girl who appeared to be about five years old asked Jack timidly and looked up at Adrian.

"Sure," Jack answered and the girl sat down the doll that she was holding and Jack pulled out a chair for her to sit on. "Sit here."

"Hey everyone," Adriana greeted them.

"Hello dear," Sidi said.

"And who is this little angel?" Adriana asked the little girl and she smiled.

"I'm Lindiwe," she said and sat on the chair. "I'm going to hold the baby!"

"I see," Adriana smiled. "I'm Adriana." Jack put Adrian in Lindiwe's arms and she looked overjoyed.

"He's heavy," Lindiwe said still smiling and Adrian stared at her and started to smile after a few seconds.

"He is getting big," Jack said.

"What's his name?" Lindiwe asked Jack.

"His name is Adrian," he answered.

"Ohh, is Adriana his mommy?" she assumed.

"Yup," Jack said.

"He doesn't look like her," she said and looked at Jack bashfully. "He looks like you."

"Aww not even a little bit?" Adriana whined playfully.

"Maybe," Lindiwe told a white lie. "Maybe an eensy weensy bit.

"I'm going to have go to change his diaper," Jack said and Lindiwe let Jack take him, relieving her arms.

"Can I help?" she hopped off of the chair.

"Sure, if you want to," Jack smiled at her enthusiasm and she surprised him by holding onto his free hand when they left the room.

"He's sure gotten talkative," Sidi was eating a bowl of grapes. "Adrian too."

"Lots of baby talk lately," Adriana laughed.

"He'll be talking well soon," Sidi said. "Before he turns one."

"Wow.." Adriana couldn't imagine a baby so small talking fluently. "My mom told me I was talking at one. Must've creeped her out."

"It's that gift," Sidi said. "Learn languages very very easily with it."

"Yeah," Adriana agreed. "Jack's trying to learn Spanish since sometimes me and Harri and Julia chat so much."

"He's fascinating," Sidi kept talking. "Very interesting man."

"Why do you say that?" Adriana said, knowing well that Sidi never read his hands.

"I haven't seen his individual future but I've seen him plenty in yours," Sidi said. "He is for your highest good."

"My highest good?" Adriana asked. These words sounded nice.

"He's..transforming," Sidi squinted and looked at Adriana seriously. "He's not the man that he was but he is not yet the man that he will be. Even just from touching your hand I could see his drastic evolution."

"I haven't told him that I'm pregnant yet," Adriana remembered her deal with Bruce.

"Tell him," Sidi encouraged and Adriana finally felt ready. "He will be very happy. He will make you a very happy woman."

"I'll tell him.." Adriana smiled.

"Tell him right now," Sidi pushed Adriana's arm off of the table to get her moving, finally.

Part 2:

"I did it all by myself!" Lindiwe told Adriana when she came into Adrian's room. "Well, almost."

"You did a good job," Jack nodded. "I'm impressed."

"Lin, we're leaving now," Aymara popped into the room, clearly because Sidi had told her to give them privacy. "We'll come back tomorrow."

"Okay," Lindiwe said, not even attempting to cover her dissapointment. "Do you promise?"

"I promise, girl, now come on," Aymara reached for her hand.

"Okay," she said again. "Bye Jack, bye Adriana, bye Adrian!"

"Bye honey," Adriana said and Jack waved to her as they left.

"She's precious," Adriana said and Adrian started trying to say words.

"Booooo," he smiled and raised his little voice. "Booooooooosh."

"Uh ohhh," Adriana laughed.

"He's not saying that," Jack picked Adrian up and didn't laugh, but looked like he wanted to.

"Then what's he saying?" Adriana asked.

"I don't know but he's going to learn to say Daddy first, not B-R-U-C-E," Jack spelled, not wanting to reinforce Bruce's name. "She is precious."

"So I guess you really like kids now, huh?" Adriana tried to warm up.

"Well I've only really been around two now," Jack smiled. "Yeah. They're pretty intriguing."

"Intriguing?" Adriana was curious.

"She's such a sweetheart. I'm going to make sure Adrian's the same way," Jack said. "I'm going to make sure he's a good person. Kind to everyone he comes into contact with, loving and giving."

"Wow," Adriana hadn't even thought of these things yet. "Do you want more children?"

"Well, now," Jack laughed and Adrian kept trying to talk. "That would be amazing."

"Really?" Adriana was feeling happier by the second.

"You know," Jack's face showed a hint of sadness. "I've taken so much away. So much life...good people. I know I can't totally replenish, or bring people back, or completely undo everything. More children would be wonderful, but I guess that's up to you."

"Why's it up to me?" she asked.

"Because," Jack laughed at the obvious. "You're the one that has to give birth to them. If you don't want to do that again I understand. Having Adrian is more than miraculous. More than I could have ever asked for."

"I'm pregnant," her voice drifted away.

"You are?" Jack looked as if he didn't know whether to be happy yet.

"Don't worry," she smiled. "Sidi said everything is going to be okay. Our baby will be perfectly healthy."

"Are you happy?" Jack still looked unsteady and not ready to show his joy.

"I hadn't thought about it much until now, but," she put her hands on her cheeks and smiled. "I'm so happy, Jack."

"So you're going to give me another baby," Jack beamed, apparently delighted. "I'm excited."

"Yeah," she felt so joyous prosperity. "As many as you want."

"I can't thank you enough," he kissed her.


	94. Chapter 94

Chapter 94:

Part 1:

"If Harri tells me that I should join the military one more time," Jack mumbled and crawled into bed.

"She doesn't mean any harm," Adriana said. "She made me do a career assesment a while ago. Said that I should be a UN interpreter."

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" Jack smiled.

"My brain hurts from all the practing," Adriana said. "I'm glad my parents don't know anything about this silly wedding."

"I wonder how awkward it will be for me to watch," Jack said.

"It's all pretending," she told him. "Keep that in mind."

"I want you to marry me," he said.

"Really?" Adriana smiled and climbed onto the bed and placed a hand on his cheek. "Maybe after this whole fake marriage and divorce we can do all that."

"Not like that," he struggled to explain. "I want you to marry me right now."

"Right now..?" Adriana was confused. "I can't show my face in a chapel or sign any documents right now or I'll mess up Bruce's beloved plan. Not that I care really-"

"Not like that," he said the words again and moved himself close to her.

"Like what then?" she said, unable to see him because he was so close and the side of her face with her seeing eye was against a pillow.

"Not with the fancy schmancy," he said. "The wedding, the preacher, the dressing up, the legal documents..."

"Oh.." she said, listening to every word.

"Just be my wife," he said, unprepared but sure of himself. "Right now, before this wedding, before we sleep, before another day starts...just marry me."

"This is a unique proposal," she smiled.

"So, what do you say?" he asked over agan. "Do you take this man?"

"Yes," she felt explosive happiness.

"Thank you," he said. "I pronounce us man and wife."

Part 2:

"A gift from the groom," a woman came into the room where a team of people were making Adriana look perfect. She handed her a small box containing diamond barettes.

"Beautiful!" the woman styling her hair exclaimed and put the sparkling acessories in her hair which was already done.

"I'm gonna cry, you look so gorgeous!" Harri started snapping photos of Adriana, annoying the professional wedding photographer.

"You're in his way," Adriana told Harri but she didn't care.

"Look at you!" Harri kept on taking pictures. "Bruce is gonna die!"

"We are all done with fifteen minutes to spare," the wedding planner said and let down her curly red hair. "Whew. I love when weddings are on time."

"We're all going to go downstairs now," one of the bridesmaids said. Adriana didn't know any of the women personally but they were all friends with Bruce.

"See you in a bit!" Harri put her camera in Adriana's bag and followed the parade of bridesmaids. The photographer went behind them finally having the opportunity to capture the day.

Adriana looked into the mirror at the unreal image of herself and touched her face to make sure that it felt real. She struggled to fight the feeling of vanity but she felt her eyes sting with tears at her own beauty.

"Hey," Adriana noticed Jack standing in the doorway staring at her, looking as if he was afraid to move.

"Hello, there," the wedding planner said to Jack but he was still speechless.

"Can you give us a minute?" Adriana asked her and she nodded and went to leave. "I want to head down in no less than ten minutes."

"I'll be on time, I promise," Adriana pulled Jack into the room as she left. "Say something!"

"I'm just," he said and shrugged. "You look like a scene from some...I don't know..heaven."

"Aww, thank you," she said. "You looks quite dashing, my lovely husband."

"Thank you, my queen," he said.

"What's that?" she asked about the envelope that she just noticed in his hand.

"Oh, nothing," he smiled. "Something for Bruce."

"Hmm, okay," she said. "I'm gonna go walk down the aisle now."

"You sound super thrilled," he said and kissed her cheek.

"I'm feeling nervous all of a sudden," she said. "But I'll live."

Adriana walked through the halls of the miraculous chapel numb and in a daze as people took photos of her and strangers gave her loving hugs. She felt so rushed and unready as she noticed the bridesmaids already filing out of the hallway and into the ceremony. Her eyes shut and she took several deep breaths and felt the enormous perfectly shaped boquet placed in her hands. The woman who planned the wedding looked proud as her assistant covered Adriana's face with the veil and quickly stood aside. She gave Adriana a quick encouraging hug and moved aside as well.

Jack was sitting next to Alexandria who was taking a million pictures since she was so thrilled that cameras were allowed at the wedding. She smiled at Jack and made him look at every one of the photos that she took. He nodded at each one and smiled at the images on the camera. Music played softly and everyone silenced and looked expectantly at the doors in the back of the room. Bruce stood casually at the altar as the bridesmaids and groomsmen took their places perfectly. He exhaled, feeling almost impatient but as he released the heavy breath the air was filled with harmonious gasps of awe as the doors opened and Adriana began to progress down the aisle. At first he had a hard time assocating the angelic image approaching him with anything other than an ethereal dream. As she came closer her finally could see her face through the partially transparent and the familiarity of seeing her grounded him after his initial disembodied feeling. She was smiling and clearly laughing at his fearful but dreamlike expression. He smiled at last when she gave him a cozy and alleviating wink.

Adriana and Bruce repeated the priest detatched from the words that they were saying, but full of delight..._To have and to hold from this day foreward, For better or for worse, For richer or for poorer, In sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part..I do._

"I now pronounce you man and wife," the priest told them. "You may kiss the bride."

Bruce lifted the veil and kissed her softly. She smiled in the middle of the kiss and hugged him. The sounds of applause erupted and Adriana felt relief that it was done


	95. Chapter 95

"That's something usually only royalty can get away with," Alexandria sat in the car beside Jack and fixed her eyelashes in the mirror. "Huge, expensive wedding like that and a really small, exclusive reception. I heard there's no cameras allowed at all."

"They're not allowed," Jack started the car and drove, paying careful attention to street signs. "You wanna leave your camera in the car?"

"What?!" Alexandria screeched. "We're going? You we invited?"

"Yes," Jack said, content with her excitement at the surprise. "You happy?"

"Fuck yes," she said. "Think I can hide my camera on me? Will they let me take in my phone?"

"Nah, you don't want to get kicked out before we even get in," he suggested.

"Yeah, you're right," she shrugged. "I don't to leave it in the car though, it was too expensive."

"Okay then, we'll leave it in the room," he said and turned into courtyard of an elite luxury hotel. Alex gazed out of the window for a few seconds at the pristine landscape. The grass looked too perfect to be real and white marble statues of animals lined the way to the entrance.

"You have a room here?" Alex asked.

"No, Bruce does," he answered. "The reception is here."

"Damn," she exclaimed. "This is top notch...Wait, Bruce's room? You're allowed to go?"

"Uh, yeah," Jack said and pulled up to the valet. The man standing at the podium opened Jack's door and another man on the other side opened Alexandria's. She hurried around the car to him and followed him into the hotel which stunned her with its superior luxury. She noticed the concierge nod to Jack as they walked into the expansive reception area of the hotel.

"The is off the chain," Alexandria beamed once they were in the elevator. "I think this elevator is bigger than my entire apartment. I feel like I'm in Dubai."

"It's really nice," Jack agreed. "Where's your camera? I think they have a safe in the room."

"Here," Alexandria pulled it from her pocket. "It was like $800 but it looked cheap as hell now that my eyes are getting accustomed to this palace." Jack laughed at her and took the camera as they left the elevator and walked down the hallway.

"It's down this way," Jack said and noticed that Alexandria had taken a spot on one of the couches in the hallway in a lounge area.

"Wait, take my picture!" she smiled. "Come on, how often will I get to be in a place like this?"

"Alright," Jack smiled and took a picture of her with the camera.

"Take one with me!" she beamed and pulled him over to the couch. He held the camera up and took a few photos of them and each pose became sillier and sillier.

"Everything alright?" A steward passed them in the hall as the camera flashed at Jack and Alexandria throwing pretend punches at each other.

"Yes, sir," Alex said quickly.

"Do you need anything?" he asked them.

"No, we're good," Jack answered.

"You should have told him we need some champagne and filet mignon," she laughed and followed Jack down the hall. "And some caviar."

"I will if he comes around again," Jack said. "He'd probably bring it."

"I can't believe Bruce let you up to their room," Alex said. "You two must be close."

"Heh," Jack answered wordlessly. "He's alright."

"So is she like, a real bitch?" Alex asked him.

"What? Who?" he asked as they neared the room, slightly confused.

"The wife, Adriana. Do you know her?"

"Yeah, I know her. Why would you ask that? What do you mean is she a real bitch?"

"You know...Is she like, really stuck up?" Alex asked. "She looks like she is."

"She looks stuck up to you? How?"

"Well, yeah, look at her," she continued. "She looks like she might be conceited. But she is fucking beautiful, I'll give her that."

"She's not conceited at all," Jack pondered Alexandria's assumptions for a few moments.

"You're a guy, you wouldn't be able to tell like I would," she said. "You're Bruce's friend so of course she'll act nice to you."

"You know what," Jack knocked lightly on the door. "Maybe you should meet her then."

Alex raised her eyebrows and fixed her hair quickly before the door opened. A thin woman with glasses hanging on a string of pearls around her neck opened the door and let them in. She was holding a pair of beautiful silver colored heels in her hands.

"You want to see Bruce?" the wedding planner asked Jack.

"Can I see Adriana actually? Is she busy?" Jack said to the woman and heard Alexandria let out a light chuckle.

"Yes, she's busy," she said and went over to a table that was covered in at least forty pairs of glamorous shoes. "But you can go back there...Jack?"

"Yeah, Jack," he remainded her and pulled Alex's hand as they walked over to an enormous door that was slightly ajar. The room looked like a chaotic explosion of a wedding boutique. Garments were tossed everywhere and several pairs of shoes and hair styling appliances scattered the room, which was heavily decorated in exotic looking tapestries and dozens of candlesticks.

"I really liked the silver ones but if you think that the heels are too high..." an assistant's voice mumbled from behind another closed door.

"Hey," Bruce walked in from another room, looking slightly surprised. "Hello, Alex."

"Can we leave this camera here?" Jack handed the camera to Bruce.

"Yeah, I'll lock it up," Bruce said.

"Bruce!" Adriana called from the room that he had just come out of. "Can you tell her to bring the other ones back?"

"Sure thing! We have some visitors, by the way!" Bruce yelled back and then spoke to Alex and Jack. "I'll put this away and I'll be back."

"Who?" Adriana asked and then came over to the door. "Oh, hi!" She pulled off the one show that she was wearing and walked over to them.

"Adriana this is Alexandria, my guest to the wedding and the reception tonight," Jack said and took a seat on the cluttered couch.

"Oh..hi," Alex said and reached out a hand to shake Adriana's. She marveled while they shook hands. "You're really beautiful. Oh, and congratulations on everything."

"Thanks," Adriana said. "I was hoping to get to meet you."

"Really? Me?" Alexandria said. "Why?"

"I'm always happy to meet any of Jack's friends," she answered and winked at him. "I love your hair, I wish mine would get sleek like that."

"Your skin and your hair are like, perfect.." Alex said, distracted by the radiant glow coming from Adriana.

"Oh, girl, no they're not," Adriana said and smiled as Bruce handed her shoes. "I have an entire Parisian makeup store on my face. They flat ironed and curled my crazy ass hair for about four hours, and there's like , multiple cans of hairspray up in here."

"What?" Alexandria laughed a little in nervous surprise.

"Shocking, huh?" Adriana pulled on one shoe and winked at Jack. "I really look like a reptilian underneath it all, without all the glitz."

"No, not that," Alex laughed more easily. "Whatever, you're obviously gorgeous, I just wasn't expecting you to be so...down to earth."

"She said that she thought you seemed conceited," Jack spoke up and Alex shot him a look of fear but he didn't stop. "A real bitch."

"No, no..I-" Alex started to apologize and explain but Adriana just laughed and put on her other shoe.

"Really?" she laughed and put her wedding ring back on. "Well, now you know."

"I told her," Jack rolled his head back and to the side tiredly and Alexandria noticed how comfortable the two of them seemed. They seemed cheerful and relaxed, while Bruce seemed slightly distant and left them alone.

"I didn't say that..I mean exactly," Alex continued to explain.

"You said that exactly," Jack laughed. "You said she looked stuck up."

"Well I just meant, you were really pretty and you know how some people are when they have looks.." Alex was embarrassed

"It's okay," Adriana waved a hand. "Do you like these shoes? Does it look right with the dress?"

"It looks amazing," Alex said. Fashion was a great subject change. "The dress is amazing. Who's it by?"

"I forgot," Adriana shrugged. "My sister picked it out."

"We need to be getting ready to head out soon," Bruce finally spoke to them.

"Awww, well I hope we'll run into each other at the reception," Adriana said to Alex.

"Really?" Alex couldn't believe how nice she was being despite Jack's revelation about her earlier words.

"Of course," Adriana as they both were leaving. "See you guys later."

Before Jack could go out of the door Adriana gave him a quick kiss when Alexandria turned away.


	96. Chapter 96

Part 1:

"Is everything going the way you wanted it to?" Adriana slipped a hand under the silk lapel on the right side of Bruce's tuxedo and leaned against his right arm.

"Much better, actually," he answered and smoothed his hair gently with a comb while they stood before the mirror. "You're doing beautifully."

"So..." she continued to cling and squeezed his bicep to distract him from perfecting and polishing his hair.

"What is it?" he asked.

"So when are you gonna tell my why we're doing all this?" she asked impatiently.

"I'll tell you after the reception," he said. "We're actually going to hop a plane to appear to be going on honeymoon later tonigth but after we fly around a bit and land I'll tell you everything."

"You'd better," she gave his arm a final suqeeze and fixed her own hair in the mirror. "We do look concieted and self absorbed as hell rght now. Maybe Alexandria was right"

"Yeah, right," Bruce laughed. "We need to get back out there to our guests before they cut the cake themselves."

"I've has more than twenty people already ask me about the auction for that gown," Bruce said as they walked across the reception hall together.

"Nice," Adriana said happily as they walked past the DJ. "What time are we leaving?"

"Pretty soon," he answered.

Pretty soon the cake had been cut, the bouquet and garter had been tossed and everyone was dancing, chatting loudly or enjoying drinks. Adriana and Bruce danced together for some time, while random guests handed Adriana envelopes full of money and gift cards. She thanked each one of them appreciatively.

"I think I'm gonna go find somewhere quiet to call Alfred and see how Adrian is," Adriana said.

"I'll come with you," Bruce wrapped an arm around her posessively and walked her over to a quiet area in the bustling room.

"Aww, why is my baby crying?" Adriana asked sadly as Alfred answered the phone.

"I believe it's because he wants his father," Alfred sounded like he was holding Adrian, trying to console him.

"Or me, maybe," Adriana guessed.

"Well, that may be so," Alfred sounded like he was sitting Adrian down, as the crying quieted. "But he said the word 'Daddy' at least four or five times since you all have been away."

"Really?! Oh my-" she smiled enthusiatically at Bruce who was wondering what she was so happy about. "And we missed it?! Oh no.."

"Don't worry, I think he may be on a roll," Alfred said. "Chatterbox."

"I have to call Jack and tell him!" Adriana beamed. "Alfred, thanks for staying with him today..sorry you had to miss the wedding and everything."

"You know, I never though I'd see the day Bruce would walk down the aisle," Alfred said with sarcastic anguish. "Suppose I was right."

"We'll bring you cake," Adriana said, wondering if there was even any cake left. "I gotta call Jack!"

"What are you so excited about?" Bruce looked up from his own phone.

"Adrian knows how to say, Daddy," she said. "Alfred told me that he said it a few times!"

"Wow that boy is really something," Bruce smiled. "Jack will be happy."  
>"I know," Adriana smiled as the phone rang and she waited for his answer.<p>

"Hello?" Jack answered. Adriana could hear the festivities of the wedding reception behind him and Alex and Harri's laughter.

"Babyyyy," her voice glittered. "Guess what?"

"What's up?" he said, sounding like he was moving somewhere quieter.

"Su bebé dijo: 'Daddy',"she said happily.

"What? He spoke?" Jack wondered if he understood her correctly.

"Si, si! Alfred me dijo que él lo dijo muchas veces," she said. "Estaba llorando." Alfred told me that he said it many times. He was crying.

"Damn, I'm upset that we missed it," Jack said. "Maybe I should head to the house back now. Alex and Harri are having too much fun."

"Yo los oia." I heard them.

"I'm going to tell Alex that we're going to head out now," Jack said with audible traces of amusement. "Can you send her that camera tomorrow? I think she needs to get away from the bar."

"Yeah, tomorrow," she said. "Bruce and I have to fly around for a bit tonight, pretend honeymoon."

"What?" Jack sounded confused. "Fly around for what?"

"Tenemos que volar en un avión durante unas horas. Estamos fingiendo ir de luna de miel," she said slowly.

"Oh, right," he said. "I'll see you later tonight when you get back. I love you."

"Te quiero más," she said and laughed at the fact that he understood better in Spanish. _I miss you more._

Part 2:

Adriana left the reception with rose petals on her shoulders and in her hair. Their farewell had been cheerful as people blew bubbles and tossed flowers on them. Their helicopter flight was short as they coasted through the air to a small airfield what housed several small private planes and where a few paparazzi photographed them getting into the plane.

"You know something," Adriana sat and fastened herself into one of the seats. "We're all alone now so we should just talk now, about everything."

"Are you tired?" he waited until they reached altitude to speak.

"No, I want to talk," she said and rose from her seat.

"It's a lot to talk about," he said. "I think you should take a nap and relax for a while."

"I'm sleepy but this is more important," she stretched her legs and stood. "Where would I take a nap anyway?"

"There's a bedroom down this hall here," he stretched his arm around the point to the small corridor in the back of the plane.

"Wake me up when we are about to land," she rubbed her eyes, amazed at the permanence of the makeup she was wearing. "And promise me that we'll talk as soon as we get back."

"I swear. After we land and go inside, we'll talk," he promised.

She looked at her phone and saw that it was nearly midnight. The bedroom in the plane was cozy with an oversized bed that left little room for walking. She kicked her shoes off in the doorway and slif beneath the covers and pulled them up to her ears. The small window beside her showed the calming glow of the moonlight and the stillness and softness of the bed made her forget that she was up in the air. The view of the night sky carried her into sleep. Her dreams were peaceful. She saw herself and Jack walking along the beach at night. There was no one else around but the two of them and the sounds of the waves massaged her mind as they traveled through the dark. They walked together quietly until the sun began to rise over the ocean and the sky turned pink and gold. As the sun rose fully and she noticed that her body was changing as she became fuller in her pregnancy. The sun rose high and her ankles and legs began to feel so tired and sore that she just wanted to sit down in the sand but Jack seemed to read her mind and picked her up easily in his arms and carried her along.

A faint beeping noise woke her up. The sound was barely audible but roused her because it didn't fit in naturally with her dream at all. She pulled the blanket off of her head and rays of the bright sun went into her eyes making her squit in confusion. She looked around the room and remembered where she was.

"Bruce?" her voice was quiet as she rose from the bed and left the room.

She heard his voice coming from the cockpit and also heard the voice of another man, who she assumed was the pilot. She crossed the room quickly intent on knocking on the door to find out what was going on any why they were still in the air but the view through the window stopped her. Water. Water expansive enough that she knew that it could be nothing else but the ocean. She turned and went to the other side of the plane and saw again, nothing but water.


	97. Chapter 97

Chapter 97:

"Hey….wake up."

"_Qué?_..." Harri stirred in her dream for a moment before her eyes opened. "What now?"

"Harri-" Jack started to talk but Harri pulled her pillow over her face.

"Lemme guess, they're still not back yet," Harri said through the pillow.

"Not yet, but-" he said as she pushed the pillow at him.

"Well what do you want me to do about it? I want to sleep," Harri whined. "If Bruce said they they're fine, then they're fine."

The entire night had passed and Adriana and Bruce had yet to return from their spin in the plane. Jack had called Bruce several times and Bruce let him know that he had to make a pit stop somewhere along the coast. He didn't give Jack any details and kept telling him that Adriana was asleep.

"Okay, but listen-" he struggled to fit in a complete sentence.

"Do you honestly think Bruce would do something to her? Really?" Harri huffed and snatched her pillow back. "You're crazy."

"No," he took a stiff step away from her as if both riled and injured by her words. "I'm not."

"I'm sorry," she apologized truthfully. "Just go to sleep, they'll be back soon."

"It's not that," he said and then became quiet. Harri could only see his figure outlined in the darkness of her room, framed by the red light of her alarm clock that showed that it was 5:35 a.m. He stayed eerily quiet for several more seconds.

"You're creeping me out," Harri said finally.

"Sorry," he said.

"What is it then?" Harri said peevishly.

"It's Adrian," he said as though he were searching for more words.

"What's wrong?" Harri sat up quickly and grabbed Jack's arm.

"He's okay, he's just..." Jack paused. "Well he was talking."

Harri sighed. After returning from the reception they were both greeted by Adrian saying the word 'Daddy' happily over and over again whenever he saw Jack.

"Yeah, I heard last night," Harri said. "Go to bed, Jack."

"No he was _talking_, talking," Jack went on. "I mean sentences and…complete sentences, Harri."

"You were dreaming."

"I wasn't asleep," he said. "I'll show you, come on-"

"I want to sleep please…" she pouted.

"It's okay, I'll bring him in here you don't have to move," he started to leave.

"No, it's fine," Harri groaned wanting to return to sleep as soon as possible. "I'm coming."

Harri followed him down the hall with her eyes half closed and wondered for a second where Adriana and Bruce were. She knew that they were safe but wasn't going to admit to Jack that she too thought that their disappearance was slightly suspicious. When they got to Adrian's room he was sound asleep. Jack picked him up and rubbed his back and murmured quietly, telling him to wake up, but his voice and massage were too soothing so Adrian slept on.

"Maybe later then," Harri shrugged and then placed a hand on her stomach. "_Whew_…"

"You okay?" Jack sat in the rocking chair beside the crib.

"Yeah," Harri looked down and spoke to her belly. "Aww, I know my little cupcake isn't getting any rest tonight because your restless uncle keeps waking us up."

"Sorry, little one," he placed a hand on her stomach and felt aggressive and jumpy movements.

"It's fine, but I'm goi-" Harri stopped talking and was staring curiously at Adrian.

Jack looked down and saw that Adrian had his hand out toward Harri. He looked very alert and determined, considering that he was just asleep.

"I think he wants to feel the baby too," Jack suggested, noticing Adrian was mimicking his own gesture toward Harri.

"No he doesn't," Harri said. "He's just copying you."

"Let him," Jack said but Harri backed away.

"Come on, he's a baby, he doesn't know what you were doing," Harri rolled her eyes but noticed Adrian looking frustrated as she backed off.

"If he starts crying I'm leaving him with you for the night," Jack said.

"Whatever," Harri came close again and Adrian sat up and placed his small hand on her stomach firmly.

_No way_, Harri mouthed to Jack, but he nodded and smiled. Harri was still convinced that the baby was just repeating what he had seen Jack do, but he looked amazed when he felt the baby in her moving around restlessly. Adrian looked like he was focusing on something for a few short seconds and then suddenly looked enlightened. His golden colored eyes lit up as if some mystery had been explained to him all at once. He pulled his hand away and smiled up at Harri while turning to clasping Jack's shirt and opened his mouth to speak.

"He's my cousin," he said easily and smiled with content.


	98. Chapter 98

Chapter 98:

"You know, Natalie is started the third grade this year. Crazy how fast kids grow up," Ralph, Bruce's pilot, said to him.

"Tell me about it," Bruce said, barely listening to what the man was saying.

"And Reggie is starting high school…" Ralph went on but Bruce's mind wandered.

Ralph Miller had been working for Bruce for over a decade. He was a family man in his late forties who Bruce trusted greatly. Bruce didn't struggle much with his decision to let him go, since his severance package would be enough to send him into early retirement. The difficulty now, was telling him. Bruce would need Ralph for a few more months but wanted to get the conversation over with. He had fired countless people in his career and never struggled with it much until now. He had plenty of time to tell him, Bruce told himself. He had more pressing words to share with someone else and that was all that was filling his mind. Today was the day.

"We'll be there in about 25 minutes," were the only words Ralph said that Bruce had really heard all along.

"Great timing," Bruce patted his pilot on the shoulder and stood, feeling his phone buzzing in his pocket. Jack again. "Hello."

"Put Adriana on the phone," Jack demanded in greeting.

"She's still asleep," Bruce said, keeping his tone light enough that his pilot wouldn't become interested in his conversation. He walked to the door and left the cockpit. "Like I said, it's a small business errand I have to make. Just sprung up on me. You understand. Hello?"

Jack had hung up the phone on him which wasn't surprising. The fury in Jack's voice was undeniable. Bruce felt slightly guilty for lying to him but it was all he could do.

"Business errand?" Adriana's voice startled him, since he assumed he was alone. She was standing by one of the windows and peering out of it at the ocean below. "You have to make a pit stop somewhere?"

He couldn't answer. Suddenly, firing Ralph didn't seem so hard at all.

"Yeah," he mustered. He could see it in her eyes that she could tell that he was being dishonest but he was too unfocused to care.

"Really?" she looked at him questioningly and he was suddenly taken back to the memory of when he first met her. The reminiscence wasn't comforting; it only made everything more difficult.

She looked at him the same way that night. The same quizzical and expectant look. A look of suspense from the faultless stranger. When Commissioner Gordon recommended that the Batman use unconventional sources of information and assistance, he could only think of one person. A psychic who could see into the future would do no good. Lucius had found a few poor quality photos from her and presented them to Bruce so he would know who he would be meeting. She looked different than what he had expected. He had never seen her at the precinct and was expecting someone who looked older or wiser. But she looked young and beautiful in an almost mystic way, but also appeared troubled, and slight. When Gordon had also revealed that she was currently institutionalized, he nearly looked the other way, desperately trying to find alternative methodology. But then she decided to self release and he finally had the opportunity to see what she was about. An aid to his attempts to conclude the seemingly never-ending cycle of terror by the Joker. He found that she was beautiful on paper but outstandingly smoldering in the flesh. She appeared clearly drugged or drunken but in some strange way he knew that he would never forget this woman, even if he decided against working with her. She proved herself knowledgeable in a superhuman realm of perception and that was all it took for him to accept her as a partner.

Her distressed appearance made him lax with his pursuit of help from her. He would let her work at her own pace. It took her weeks to finally find out who he was and to finally visit his office. Never would he let her know how that day, when she sat down in his office and poured out the take of the Joker's scars, was that day that he became wrapped around her finger. He was sure then that he wanted her but he had paid her millions of dollars and approaching her in any way other than professionally seemed dishonorable. But it seemed like she had turned into a different woman from the one he had met only twice previously. She looked stronger, serene, and self-assured even though she pushed the check back at him. He almost took it and wanted to call the whole thing off and simply ask her out on a date but there was more vital business that needed handling. Even though for some reason, his nemesis had kept away from the public populace and his only crimes had been in the underground and with other criminals, Bruce was sure he would return to murdering the innocent at any time.

He spent less time in Gotham as a consequence of this sudden drop in terroristic acts against the public, and more time at home in Wayne Manor. The rebuilt mansion was one thing he could be pleased about fully. That calm and rainy night that Lucius had surprised him by stopping by and gave him news that made him think, for the first time in his life, that Lucius had been mistaken. He realized that perhaps it was her, the ex-patient; perhaps she was the one that was misguided. Clearly, she had been attacked and now blamed herself. He allowed her into his home and spoke with her, stunned to see that her mind hadn't played any tricks on her. He could tell that she wasn't crazy. All of her faculties were in order; she was as sane as he was.

How then, after knowing this and what she had done, could he fall in love with her? Such an irregular way for the perfect woman to get his life tangled with. Tangled in knots so tight, complex, and intricate that he would never be able to pick them apart. All he could do was cut the strings. He would cut them close to himself of course, risking losing several loose ends but he would make sure that she left losing as little as possible in the disjointing. No one would come close or compare to her again, Sidi had told him when he asked for the brutal truth and she had mentioned a future lover. He would never want to marry anyone else.

"What's going on?" she said finally, after waiting patiently as he relived his recent life in his mind.

"We have to talk about everything," he said seriously, nearly ready to release and tell her where they were going. But then she gave him another look. She looked blameworthy. And once again he began to remember as he looked into her piercing eyes, the color of a frigid Nordic lagoon.

She decided to leave him and he was hurt. Hurt in a way he could never be hurt again, thank heavens, because he would never love so wholly again. He couldn't let her leave; he loved her too much and didn't trust the one she was leaving with. But he certainly couldn't stay either. Perhaps some time apart and she would come around, and realize that he was the one that she wanted. He liberated himself and saw the world. Travelling to the ends of the earth to prove to himself that the world was vast and profound and that he and his problems were minuscule in comparison. When he returned to her he would be stronger, smarter, and more refined.

The cruel night that he did return was one that he had hoped to forget. He hid his pain well as she walked into the doorway and Lucius, Dr. Nathan and Alfred politely left them alone. All of his new sights and learning from his voyage disintegrated. He downed shot after shot of whiskey when he realized that his eyes hadn't failed him. Of course he knew that the Joker remained in his home but he hoped secretly that he wouldn't see his influence on Adriana, but it was there. She reminded him once more that she was more explosive and enticing than any wonders the planet earth had to offer. But yet again, she was different and he could see it instantly in her face, eyes and skin. She hadn't changed her mind about the Joker, and worse yet, he could see right away that the man had gotten another child on her.

Seeing the improvement in the Joker's scars had distracted him for a moment but he couldn't stop thinking that his destiny was not to be with her. She was sorry, he could tell, but she was also more than satisfied with her companion. Jack, as they now called him, was as good to her as he knew how to be and had followed the rules that Bruce had left them with.

The sounds of the type of lovemaking that wasn't for the coy or faint of heart assaulted his ears in the most agonizing way that night. She was gone and things wouldn't go back to the way that they were. He wouldn't have her sleep beside him and listen to him talk for hours. He couldn't kiss her again. She was so patient and kind and he watched her nurture her child and knew that she would made his wife. Instead, at the last most inopportune moment, she had chosen a different path.

But so was the life Bruce Wayne, he though in a self deprecating way. No one stayed. He knew that he was an important man. He accepted that he a was billionaire and had saved countless lives, but still he was alone. She was the only person in his life, he thought pitifully, that wasn't paid to be. The only one who had seen everything, read his thoughts and didn't judge him. She never told him to leave any part of his life for her, she accepted everything, even his hand in marriage. He had plenty of money and had experienced plenty of women, and had never wanted for anything material in his life. He risked his life for others but still he was pushed away even though he did everything by the book. Gotham didn't want a Batman, Adriana didn't want Bruce. That didn't change the fact that he still had to surrender to being altruistic to them.

"Can you please talk to me?" she finally looked irritated.

"Adriana," he was still ignited by her. His irrational mind surfaced and he grabbed her vehemently, both hands surrounding the sides of her neck and fingertips in her hair. She shone too brightly, blinding him, in the shimmering taut gown that fell against creamy and inviting skin. Perhaps his destiny could change at this moment. Maybe Sidi had been wrong. Adriana was too right for him, couldn't the gods see that?

He kissed gently at first but quickly became more forceful. He wished he could leave their lives behind and realized that by taking her, he wasn't asking too much. Hadn't he given so much of himself to thousands of people? Didn't he deserve her? Jack was attractive enough to have anyone else and Bruce wouldn't mind taking care of the children. He just wanted the man to disappear! Bruce didn't understand how a man with a past such as his could have been blessed by the heavens to have her. He would never appreciate Adriana more than Bruce would now, by no means. It was impossible for anyone to know satisfaction more than he did from feeling her pressed against him. How could one person be so fulfilling to another and not be meant for them? He became dizzy with gratification as his hands grasped whatever curve they could find on her and he kissed as deeply as his lips and tongue would allow. He knew that he was being overbearing and he could feel her fighting him with gradually more force, but his mind was whirling with pleasure and he didn't have strength to pull himself out of it.

Unreasonable ideas swarmed his mind, telling him that she would understand that he just had to show her how much he wanted her. He was simply begging without words and wouldn't take more than he needed. Bizarre appetite clung at him and he felt as if he had been through forty days and nights without food or drink. She was an impressionist's painting of a peach that would become real for him to savor if he only took a bite.

Rationality began to grow in the back of his mind as his half opened eyes saw that he was pushing her into a room. Was his body moving on its own? Of course not, he could hear his own thoughts and feel the impulse movements of his limbs but there was a disconnect between the two. Even if he wanted to stop, he wouldn't know where to begin. He didn't know how to give up, so instead he gave in and let his arm move to shut the door. More reason reached him as he felt her scrape in her strongest attempts to get away from him, but she was no match. _Don't fight. _He thought, pushing his thoughts at her knowing that they could no longer reach her. _Please Adriana, let's not fight. _But she was still fighting and he could feel the muscles tighten in her arms as she pushed him and finally freed her lips from his.

"Bruce, no-" she managed weakly in the smallest bit of air that she could get but the second of separation only drove him madder as he kissed her again and pressed her to a wall so that should couldn't pull off again.

Carnal instinct clutched every part of him but he knew that he needed to gather the parts of his levelheaded self. He began to think of the things that he was to encounter. Near death…fighting his greatest enemy…torture…economic failure...impoverishment. Not if he ran away. He was fully stiff with arousal, an ache that throbbed relentlessly. He stroked moving and lifting the fabric on her to find the smoothness of bare skin. His fingertips had caressed and squeezed everywhere that they could and his flesh told him that he was ready to be where he felt he belonged. He had enough money to disappear forever and whatever enemy was coming would never be able to get him. Sidi had made that clear. He could fight it, like the gnashing he could hear, the clawing sensations he could feel against his arms. Life would be beautiful and fulfilling, like the supple and tender woman that was now beneath him. His sensory elements were experienced enough to know that she would be glorious and unmatched by any other woman that he had previously, that her body would serve him well. The skirmishing grew weaker and she became more limp, tired with struggle. _No, _she had said, clearly. He wasn't welcome. He was only providing her with distress and torment. He had known his place all along and should have stayed there.

Sanity hit with strong vindication and struck him cold. He couldn't free himself from his yearning but some powerful force tore his hands away from her. Shame pulled him compellingly to his knees.

Resonance of his own filled his ears but his apologetic words mixed together senselessly. She sat up with a great deal of exertion. He was kneeled at the end of the bed in front of her still murmuring remorseful language, unsure if he was entitled to ever stand again. The only balm on this trenchant moment was that a strength had materialized in him to resist unnervingly close a moment that would have made him a defiler of the worst kind.

"Adriana…" he wept and began to express monumental remorse.

"Shh..Shh…" Adriana reached out and held him, whispering words of forgiveness.

Sidi had pulled her aside at the wedding reception, the only time Adriana recalled seeing her that night. She knew that Adriana said that she didn't want to see or hear any more of her future, but Sidi insisted on telling her about this. She warned Adriana of a physical conflict, and told her that she wouldn't be harmed. Her tolerance of a few moments of discomfort, an upset that would leave her with nothing more than soreness and discomposure, would align her with her best possible future. His action was a surge of fear more than anything else, Sidi said adamancy, though she didn't tell Adriana exactly what would happen.

Bruce stood and turned away from her in disgrace. He was entirely levelheaded and barely hearing her as she told him that it was okay.

"Bruce, it's alright," Adriana wondered what Bruce could fear and dread so much to act out in this manner. She had never seen him in this way, a way that made him seem weaker than her.

"It's not," he paced the room. "How could I-"

"Bruce, really," she did her best to calm him. She stood and tried to hold him but he backed away as if her touches burned him. "I'm fine, it's okay-"

"How can you for give me this?" his voice shook.

"Because I can," she said. "I'm your friend Bruce, just let me forgive you."

"It doesn't matter. I'll be prosecuted."

"What?" she asked. "You think I'll press charges against you?"

"That's what happens in these situations," he said numbly, sounding overly calculated. Now he was too sensible. "God, I don't even know myself anymore."

"Well, I know you," she cradled him even though he still withdrew. "I wouldn't do that to you." She was now afraid. Afraid to hear whatever Sidi had projected for him.

"If not you, Jack will certainly be in uproar," Bruce said.

"Don't worry about that now," Adriana knew an altercation would be inevitable.

"Just tell me what's going on," she asked. "Please talk to me, Bruce. That's all I want."

Bruce held her at length, looking at her questioningly. He was unable to understand why she was so unruffled by his conduct. She was a little too serene.

"Sidi warned me about this, okay?" she finally admitted. "And I'm fine, you didn't hurt me okay? Just tell me what she told you is going to happen."

"I didn't hurt you?" he looked at her with distrust. She appeared disheveled but unafraid.

"Not too bad," she permitted. She felt dull pain everywhere but knew it would be gone in a few hours.

"Landing in a few moments," the pilot said obliviously from the cockpit over a speaker.

"Will you tell me what's going on?" Adriana asked again.

"Yes," he said ultimately.


	99. Chapter 99

Part 1:

"Phone," Bruce came into the airplane's bathroom where Adriana had just spent the better part of an hour removing makeup and washing her hair in the sink.

"Okay," Adriana wrapped a towel around her head and wiped her hands on its end before taking Bruce's phone. "Hello?"

The sound of the phone on the other end dropping and Adrian's voice squealing with joy made her homesick instantly. Bruce nodded and left the bathroom.

"Don't bite me, please," she heard Jack say quickly.

"What?" she replied.

"I was talking to your son," Jack explained. "You're allowed though. Are you almost back here?"

"Not quite," she answered. "We probably won't get back until tonight at the earliest." She tried to calculate how many hours it had taken them to get wherever they were, knowing that it would take at least that long to return.

"Okay," he said abruptly.

"I'm sorry," she apologized.

"For what?"

"Just…for this taking so long, I guess."

"Right," he replied. "Now that I think about it, I'm not even sure why I let you go. I don't trust him with you."

"I'm safe," she murmured.

"You know that's not what I mean."

Adriana was quiet and struggled with deciding whether she should tell him what at happened. Her nerves began to get the best of her and she could not understand why. Had she done anything wrong? The anxiety sent her to the toilet and after she lifted her dress to sit she noticed a bright mark on her skin.

"Hello? Are you there?" Jack asked.

"Shit," she gasped.

"Yes?" she looked down at the audacious looking scrape on her inner thigh and felt a flashback. Bruce's belt buckle pressed into the flesh. She cursed in her mind when she saw fine scratched on her outer thigh of the same leg, obviously caused by fingernails.

"Something the matter?" he asked, and she felt like he was right there in the room, present and staring right at her.

"No," she managed. "Nothing."

"You are the worst liar I have ever encountered," he sounded like he wanted to laugh at her pitiful attempt at a fib. "Ouch, boy, you know that hurts don't you? It's not nice to bit people, they don't like it. Even though your teeth are small it still hurts."

"You're talking to him like he can understand you," she said.

"You'd be surprised," Jack said. "We need to move out of here. I've been looking at a few places. I'm thinking maybe we could rent for a while until we decide where to settle and I can work now since I have a social sec-"

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't stay here much longer. I need a change of scenery soon, somewhere far away where I won't have to deal with someone always looking at me sideways every time I have my child."

"He loves Adrian, it's just concern," she knew that Jack was implying Bruce.

"I don't care," Jack went on. "He's going out of his way to make me uncomfortable here lately. See, he'll let you drive so why the hell can't I borrow a car too? Because he doesn't want me to take Adrian anywhere, that's why. What does he think? That there will be some type of child abuse going on? "

"Your driving record isn't exactly…" Adriana came up with a reason. "His cars are really expensive."

"Yeah and you don't even have a driver's license, so what's the difference?" Jack said. "I'm done with this. He acts like I'll do something to my own child. He needs to be more worried about this boy abusing _me_."

"Jack…" Adriana sighed.

"I'm serious. I bet I have a bald spot from him pulling out my hair this morning. Can you imagine that? That kids are the one's abusing the parents these days," he laughed. "Then they want you at their beck and call like you are their flunky. Oh well, I guess that's what I signed up for right, little man?"

"I miss you both," Adriana left the bathroom and found that the ramp was down and the plane was empty. The privacy was nice.

"Adriana," Jack sounded serious again.

"Hm?" she tried to relax in a chair.

"I can tolerate a lot," he said and sounded like he was moving or lifting something.

"Yeah.." she didn't know how to respond and let him continue.

"I could probably even tolerate continuing to live here, along with the pestering, irritating stares of mistrust," he sounded like he was finished moving around whatever he had been moving.

"Okay," she said.

"But one thing I really can't stand," she heard him shaking a bottle. "Is you lying to me. Please don't make me feel like I've made you feel like you can't be completely honest with me. You have me feeling like I've failed you on some level."

"Right," the weak response was all she could gather.

"You know that I love you," he said. "No matter what you do."

"I know," she caught his drift.

"Anyway," he said. "We'll talk when you get back about whatever has happened. I have to go feed him. I love you."

"I love you too," she said and he ended the call.

"Mrs. Wayne," the pilot had re-entered the plane, disrupting the moment of peace that she needed.

"Yes" the politeness in her voice sounded unforgivably fake.

"Your husband is ready to leave," he informed her. "Wouldn't want him to go on without you."

"What?" she replied.

"He's waiting at the car," the pilot said.

"Oh," she sighed. "Bruce."

Part 2:

"He must have been angry," Bruce commented in the silent car as they sat in silence at a red light. "You haven't said a word since you got in the car."

"He's not angry," she replied, her mind elsewhere.

"Hmm," Bruce said curiously. "You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you didn't tell him," he sighed. "Don't keep anything from him. You're not the best liar."

"Can we talk about it later?"

"If you want."

The car stopped in the parking lot of a very plain looking office building. There was no sign on the front to say what type of business it was and there were 3 other cars in the parking lot. They left the car and walked into the air conditioned building where a receptionist greeted them. There were no decorations or pictures in the office's lobby just a desk and a few chairs.

"Hello Mr. Wayne," the receptionist said. She smiled at them both and walked with Bruce back into one of the offices. "Can I get you anything?" she asked Adriana when she came back.

"What do you have?" Adriana felt famished and thirsty and wondered if it was the weather in this tropical place where they had touched down.

"Well, nothing here," the woman admitted. "But there are a few restaurants close by, I could order you anything you want."

Breakfast came fifteen minutes later. Adriana decided to save food for Bruce but ended up eating everything that had been ordered.

"You must have been famished," the receptionist commented.

"Totally," Adriana stood to clear the empty containers and used napkins from the table but the woman rushed over to take care of everything. Adriana noticed the woman smiling while looking at her and observed that the lady was looking at her body. A mirror, the only adornment in the room, showed her that she looked much more pregnant than she did the previous day. If the wedding had taken place a day later it would have been blatantly obvious.

"Adriana could you join us?" Bruce asked from the office door.

"Okay," Adriana shrugged and went into the office where Bruce was talking with a middle aged man in a plain suit. The setup was plain, no family photos or personal effects decorated the room. It felt strange to see Bruce on the receiving side of the desk, sitting before someone else.

"Mrs. Wayne," the man shook her hand. "Damien Gables."

"Pleased to meet you," Adriana replied.

The meeting went by and Adriana signed a stack of papers, not really paying attention to any of them. All she could think about was Jack and Adrian and going back home.

"Do you understand what happened in there?" Bruce asked when they left.

"Some of it," she answered.

"We'll go for a walk," Bruce told his driver in the parking lot.

"There was a prenup," she remembered.

"Right," he said. "We really had that wedding in the nick of time."

"Yeah," Adriana laughed. "Do you think Mr. Gables noticed?"

"There's no way he couldn't have," Bruce replied and they strolled down the street.

"This place is beautiful," Adriana said. She was certain that they were on a Caribbean Island. They passed several small shops and restaurants and the sounds of the ocean weren't far away.

"British Virgin Islands," Bruce told her. "Do you remember anything else from that meeting?"

"Well," she said. "Did you give me a diamond mine?"

"Two," he responded.

"Why?"

"They make somewhat decent money but are small enough for me to transfer to you without much notice," he said. "About 250 million a year combined."

"Funny that I signed the prenup after the wedding," she laughed.

"Mr. Gables was pretty shocked at that," Bruce laughed too. "You signing away all of the money and assets that were technically yours. You could have refused and taken half of everything if you wanted. But I couldn't let you do that, I'll need to move everything I have strategically over the next couple of years."

"Oh," Adriana sounded disinterested as they stopped at a path that led to a restaurant by the beach.

"Ready for lunch already?"

"Yes," she said. "I don't know why I'm so hungry today."

They went to the restaurant and ordered enough food for the waiter to ask if they needed a larger table for any additional guests.

"So…what did you mean by, 'move everything strategically'?" Adriana asked as they started their appetizers.

"Oh, that," he replied and Adriana looked at him as he cut into his plate of scallops.

The humid, warm, and breezy weather had caused his starched tuxedo shirt to fall limp on his body. Dark, thick, luxurious hair fell forward against his forehead and his skin glimmered in the sunlight. She stared at the muscle movement in his strong forearms as he ate some arugula and watched his lips move.

"You know that I've been consulting with Sidi quite a bit lately," he said.

"No," she sat up, ignoring her dish of avocado crème covered shrimp. "I didn't know that."

"You've been avoiding Sidi that's why," Bruce chuckled. "And the doctor. Tell me why."

"You know why," she was more interested in the things he had to tell her. "I just feel off. Like I'm having another baby too soon. I don't feel completely replenished from having Adrian yet, plus I was using and-"

"Your child will be healthy," Bruce said.

"Physically probably," Adriana said. "I feel like this baby will be different, I mean…not like with any deficiencies but..."

"But what?" Bruce was smiling.

"I just want healthy, sane, well put together babies," she said. "It's too soon."

"You are right, this baby will be different," he said. "That's what Sidi said. Your wildcard child."

"Wildcard?" Adriana frowned.

"Well…for the most part your children will be happy, energetic but mellow and laid back at the same time. Calm, cool, reserved-"

"And this one won't?" she panicked.

"She will be unique," Bruce smiled. "She'll remind you of Jack and yourself."

"Oh no…" she sighed.

"In a good way!" he laughed. "She'll stand out. Outspoken, fiery, a little crazy…good kid though. You'll have some issues with her rebellion in her teenage years, but don't worry, Jack will handle it well."

"A girl," Adriana smiled.

"You would know that already if you saw the doctor sometime," Bruce said.

Their waiter came back with two assistants helping him to carry their dishes of larger salads, lobster, mahi, and filets.

"Tell me why you have to move your money," Adriana said to Bruce before he could dig into his tenderloin. "What did Sidi tell you?"

"Something is going to happen," he said and ate at the same time, trying to sound casual. "I'll lose almost everything."

"What?" Adriana asked immediately.

"Someone is going to come after me," he said making his statements as light as possible. "I need to make sure that I have money hidden when it is all over. I signed over a few properties to you that I want to keep at the meeting if you were paying any attention."

"I don't remember," she admitted. "So…will someone sue you? For what? Can't you just avoid doing whatever you'd do to get sued-"

"No," he said. "It's unavoidable."

"No one can take _everything_ Bruce, you have too much," she said.

"I wish that were true. But I'm incredibly fortunate to know about it well in advance so that I can move enough aside," Bruce said.

"So…you married me to do that," she said and he nodded. "What a lawsuit…"

"It's actually a bit more complicated than that," he stopped eating. "Once we are divorced you need to move."

"Of course," she said. "Jack wants to move. He said you're making him uncomfortable."

"Yeah," Bruce replied. "Intentionally, of course. I need him to want to move as far away as possible."

"Oh…" Adriana played with spinach on her fork. "I'm going with him though."

"I know," Bruce said. "That's the plan."

"You want me gone?" she asked numbly.

"No," the sound of a strange painful emotion flew out with his voice. She knew that he was not telling her everything. "If I could I would let you stay forever, lay up and make babies with him, I wouldn't care. I love having you around but I can't. You have to move away."

"Why?"

"It's not going to be safe with me," he stopped eating and signaled to the waiter to bring him another glass of wine.

"Not," she struggled so string the words together that he had just done so easily. "Safe...with you?"

"Someone will come after me," he said and started in his drink.

"But why? You still haven't told me," she remarked.

"Simply because…I am who I am," Bruce said. "He wants to break me. Because of what I do."

"What you do…" she struggled to understand. "There are other enterprising billionaires in the country so why would someone come for you so intensely? Why are you singled out?"

"There aren't many enterprising billionaires with the side role of a caped crusader," he answered.

"Someone," Adriana swallowed. "Will know your identity?"

"Yes," he answered.

"And will take all of your money."

"I'll lose most it because of this," Bruce said.

"But you said it's not safe with you, so is he coming after you physically as well?"

Bruce decided to tell her everything because she seemed to be handling everything he had disclosed so far fairly well. The words that left his lips were the exact words Sidi had told him. He would be targeted, kidnapped, imprisoned, physically tortured and near death. He would feel like giving up.

"Run away," she pleaded. "While you can! You can avoid all of that-"

"I can't Adriana," Bruce said. "He will find me eventually. I don't want you to worry about me. I will be fine."

"Are you sure?" she held his hand. "Please tell me the truth."

"No," he admitted with difficulty. "It's quite possible that I could die. And I will die almost certainly to the public. Sidi saw news reports…announcing my death. She feels that I will still live if I am able to fight hard enough-"

"But if there are news reports-" she sobbed.

"I want that," he said. "I want a fresh start, a new identity, a clean slate."

"Okay," she stopped crying and gave him all she could. Words. "I know you'll be able to fight hard enough. No one is stronger than you, Bruce. You have a plan for everything and I know you'll make it happen. I know no one can hold you down."

"Thank you," he smiled.

"You are the greatest man I know," she continued, speaking with such conviction that she even surprised herself. "Even when everyone doubts you, and everyone hates the Batman, it doesn't matter. I know you'll make it out, because you are victory embodied."

"You know," he placed a hand on her cheek. "Sidi told me your words would be the life of me."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't really know," he said. "But I understand now what she meant."


	100. Chapter 100

**Last chapter! **** FINALLY! I know it is like..super long, lol sorry!**

Chapter 100:

**Part 1:**

The sun was large and casting glowing ginger beams over the islands. Bruce and Adriana had spent several long hours at the beach restaurant, talking and talking until there was nothing left to say. They had lunch, dinner, and dessert by the beautiful sea waves. A driver came to pick them up to take them back to the airstrip again and Bruce tipped their waiter generously for serving them for the entire warm and breezy day.

"Do you want to go blind in the other eye too?" Bruce asked teasingly as they climbed the stairs to enter the plane.

"It's so beautiful," Adriana replied as she continued to stare at the sun. It seemed to be at least three times bigger in this more equatorial part of the world.

Once they entered the plane Adriana sat and held her chest for a few second as the pilot told them that they could take off immediately.

"Are you alright?" Bruce asked her when he noticed her clasping her upper body.

"Yes, I'm good," she replied, breathlessly. "Just pregnant. Can't believe I'm winded from walking up like ten steps. How long until we get back?"

"On this plane," Bruce said thoughtfully. "About six hours."

"Okay," she replied panting.

The plane lifted off but the felt grounded. She was happy to have enough time to think about and process everything that Bruce had told her. The hardest part to think about was the fact that Bruce wanted Adrian to stay with him for a while after the divorce, after she and Jack left. It would be hard to convince Jack, and even harder to convince herself. It would be easier for her and Jack to travel around and find out where they wanted to settle if they went alone for a while but she didn't want to part with her son.

After a few hours in the air, the sky was black and the body of the plane was dark. A few movies had played on the TV as Adriana and Bruce watched them in silence.

"What did he say earlier," Bruce asked and touched Adriana's feet. She had her ankles resting on his thigh and the room was too dark for him to tell if she was still awake. The faint light from the credits rolling up on the screen did nothing to let him see. "Are you asleep?"

"No," she said clearly. She was still consumed in thought about her son. There were times when she wondered if he still loved her. He always greeted her happily and enthusiastically and seemed joyful whenever he saw her but guilt still lingered in her mind. She still felt guilt-ridden for weaning him much too soon, well before he was ready.

Her drug use required her to stop breastfeeding and her baby's misery and continuous crying made her feel like she was hurting him. By giving in and feeding him, she would have hurt him even more. Whenever she felt like he might have resentment for her because of it, she told herself that it was just her imagination working in overdrive. She wasn't a failure. She just needed enough time to pander to him; years was what she needed to give all of her effort and attention to Adrian. But now she was pregnant again her labors would be split between two babies. She groaned intensely.

"So what's my consequence?" Bruce sighed.

"What?" she was confused for a second. "Oh, nothing. I didn't tell him anything."

"I think you should call him and let him know before we get back," Bruce suggested, his voice fading as he spoke. "That way he'll have time to cool off."

Adriana groaned again. She didn't want to have to deal with it, and she wasn't even sure how to explain to Jack what had happened.

"It's not important," she said. Other things were filling her mind that were of much greater prominence. "I don't really want to tell him. I just don't want to…I've had enough for one day-"

"Okay," Bruce replied. He knew that Jack would find out somehow. All he knew was that someone under his own roof would be the cause of an injury that would strain him in the future. Sidi had seen him walking with a cane. He had mentioned none of this to Adriana after his eruption earlier. She would make the same connection without even knowing that it would be someone in his home that would be the source of the wound.

Gotham was dark and mesmerizing and they coasted overhead. The dazzling glass buildings sparkled splendidly in the ethereal night. The city looked deceivingly calm, refined and prosperous. Adriana didn't see the city, only the few sparse visible stars as she lay on the seat. She looked over at Bruce and even in the shadowy plane his contour was clear. The day by the ocean breezes and under bright sunlight gave him a light tan and his hair fell limp. In the dark room it looked blue-black as it waved messily around his ears. His brows were pulled close over his eyes as if he was thinking deeply. Even though she couldn't hear his exact thoughts, she had an inkling of what was on his mind.

"I'm glad that you're happy," he said sincerely. "I finally am."

He had tried for months to fully stomach and bear with the circumstance. He finally had grasped that Adriana did really love Jack and was happy with him. It no longer bothered him and he no longer wondered in the back of his mind if the love was slightly imagined. Whenever he looked at Jack, it was always in the back of his mind that the fellow was manic and would always be erratic and demented on some level. It scared him for a while, for Adriana's sake, until he recognized the she knew much more than he did. She had seen every slaying and lunatic deed that he had committed. She was no stranger to the ghastly and atrocious since she had seen it in her mind for her entire life. When it came to Jack, Bruce had to trust that she was making a sensible decision. She had no illusions or misapprehensions about Jack and never did. The only clear interpretation and accurate supposition of Jack would ever come from her and Adrian. She saw his entirety and still accepted him as is.

**Part 2:**

"Where are you going?" Adriana asked her sister when she noticed all of Harri's bags by the door.

"I was supposed to go home today, remember?" Harri reminded her.

"Oh," Adriana said sleepily. "That's right."

"That's right, I was going to leave earlier but I'm patient enough to stay here and wait eleven more hours for you to come back so that I can say goodbye to you both," Harri patted herself on the back.

"Sorry about this, Harri," Bruce apologized quickly.

"It's okay," Harri laughed. "Antonio was here earlier, he's going to drive me back tomorrow. He's staying at hotel downtown for the night since he's not as patient as I am to wait for so long."

"He could've stayed here," Bruce responded.

"I told him that and so did Alfred," Harri shrugged. "He's too polite to get comfortable in someone's home without meeting them first. Adriana! You should let me take Adrian tonight."

"Harri," Adriana shook her head.

"Aww come on, you look so tired and I know Jack could use a break too," Harri implored.

"Okay…" Adriana sighed. "If Jack says yes too."

"He will," Harri assured her.

"I'll be in the den," Bruce stated and started to leave. Adriana followed him but went for the stairs and before she could go up, Bruce whispered to her. "Remember what I said to you. Don't worry about me."

She nodded but knew that she still wanted to withhold the tale of what had occurred from Jack. Bruce had enough to worry about and she did not want to contribute to his burdens. Adriana reached the top of the third flight of stairs panting severely. As she sat on the top step to catch her breath she heard Jack speaking and it sounded like he was in conversation to someone. The sound of his voice made her feel like she was finally back in her element. Excitement gave her enough energy and air to jog quickly to the door, past the couches and fireplace and into the bedroom. She found him on the bed, resting on his stomach.

"Are you reading?" she assumed as she walked over that maybe there may be a book laying against the pillow.

"Well, hello there," Jack turned and instead of a novel she saw Adrian in from of him.

"Heyyy!" she exclaimed and ran over to pick him up. "Aww, I missed you so much!"

"We missed you too," Jack said with a touch of carefulness.

Adrian curled his fingers in her hair as she pecked his cheeks and forehead. He started to pull on several strands with vigor but she didn't care. Harri came in a few seconds later and took Adrian from her.

"Oh," Adriana had forgotten already. "Harri wants to take Adrian with her tonight. She's staying downtown."

"It's okay with me if it is with you," Jack answered.

"It's fine," Adriana told Harri finally.

Jack started to run a bath as they left. Once the room was empty Adriana dropped onto the bed horizontally, letting her feet swing over the side. The relief of her weight being lifted off the soles of her feet through the pressure of the high heeled shoes was wonderful. She watched Jack from behind the bed's canopy, barely seeing through her drooping eyelids as he began to vacuum the floor with quick jabs of his arm. He picked up scattered toys and clothes until the room was spotless. When he was done he stood at the end of the bed behind the elaborately carved chestnut wood footboard and looked at her with inquisitiveness.

"That's a nice growth spurt," he declared in approval at her belly.

"Mhm," she muttered sleepily as he came around and took off her shoes.

She watched the loose waves of his hair come down over his eyes as he leaned over to put the heels onto the floor. When he sat up again she set her foot in motion and glided her toes along his chest, stopping when she felt his heart beating warm in the arch. Before long he was kissing her knee and running his fingertips along her ankle.

"Wait," she stopped him as his lips moved upward. "Stop."

"What is it?" he hesitated and looked at her.

The only reasonable plan that she could think of was to avoid intimacy until the bruises were gone. The idea had seemed simple enough until it was time to put it into action. With the way that she was starting to feel now, she wasn't even sure that it was possible.

"What's wrong?" he asked again.

She pulled her leg away from him slowly and he looked dismayed. There was no immediate excuse that she could think of other than being tired, which she was, but she wasn't so tired that she didn't want him. She looked at the lips that she knew that she had felt all over countless times before, and now they held the deceptive mystery that physical longing brought. Instantly she felt an unexpected invisible pull gravitate her body towards his. Willpower was a no-show as she climbed onto him to sit on his lap, wrapping all four limbs around his torso and yielding to deep kisses. A strong groan resonated in his throat as he leaned back onto the bed. She became neurotically alert as their lips separated for a second.

She realized that she needed to stop but her body wasn't following her mind's objection. The blemishes would be evident if they kept going and knowledge of this didn't stop her hips from becoming gyratory against his. She noticed that her brain was only moving her arms which were doing a feeble job of lifting the rest of body off of him. Her fingers slid beneath his head and the only way that she could remove herself from this kiss was to grab his hair and yank downwards to pull him away.

What was a night and a few days without his physical attention? They had many years, an entire lifetime even, ahead of them to spend making love. She tried to put more distance between them but the sensation his hands squeezing and pressing down on her backside rendered her incapable of moving away. Her strong snatching out of the kiss didn't seem to signify to him that she wanted to stop altogether. His lips made contact with her neck as he sat up again, sending sweeping tremors that electrified every part of her physical organization. Thoughts of how badly she wanted him turned into audible words as she heard herself murmuring whispers of exactly how much she was craving him into his ear. _It's just too wonderful,_ she told the part of her cognizance that pressed that preventing him from seeing what was hidden was imperative. _But I'm not strong enough to stop. It's not fair..I'm not stronger than this…But I am smarter than this._

"Stop, stop, stop," she whispered quickly as her insides fluttered and surged.

He paused again and tried to look into her eyes but she squeezed them shut as the rippling and swelling inside of her grew. She shook her head, trying to shake off desire. She stood up and maintained her avoidance of eye contact. Confusion was obvious on his face as she backed away. He wasn't sure yet if she was rejecting him, since he could see that she was still quivering indelicately.

"It sounds like the tub is full," she made an excuse to leave and ran to the bathroom, staggering slightly as she turned off the water. The basin was filled to the brim.

Her arm shook heatedly as she twisted the knob to stop the flow of water. Before she could stand up straight again she felt his hands on her waist pulling her against him from behind. An moan that no one would dispute as being the result of anything but craving escaped her as she clasped the wet border of the bathtub. The sound made him press himself against her even more fixedly and the impressive bulk of his anatomy against her sent her eyes rolling in momentary delirium. While telling him again to stop she cursed at her body, telling it to relax but the throbbing went on.

"You don't want to?" he asked in skepticism.

"No, no," she said firmly and clutched the wall, failing at composing herself.

"Something the matter?"

"Uh," she flinched considerably as a strong pulsation reverberated through her. "Nothing, I'm just tired."

"Alright then," he said, dubiously watching her fight it. "I guess you should just have your bath and sleep then."

"Yeah," she breathed as he reached around her to drain some of the surplus water from the bath.

"Okay then," he said and stood in front of her expectantly. "Are you going to bathe?"

"Yes," she answered and felt the warm steam of the water filling the room.

Her body and mind were unable to handle any more. Bruce told her not to worry about him. She couldn't take it any longer. She turned around and faced the water and pulled the tight dress over her head and let it drop to the floor. After removing her bra and underwear she turned to face him. She wanted him to notice the marks that she had fought in vain to hide right away, but instead she stood in front of him anxiously for the several seconds that he let his eyes linger on her chest. Her discomfort grew as his gaze coasted downward.

He took as step forward and she looked down, seeming with shame. The scratches were readily in sight but the scrape on her inner thigh was partially hidden. He leaned over passably to grasp her knee to lift her leg. When he was done examining the bruising, he released her leg and backed away.

"So..." he was shaking his head. "You're leaving me?"

"No!" the answer erupted from her explosively enough to shock them both_. Never that_, she thought. "I want you. I'm not going anywhere."

"So you want to stay with me," he said with no enthusiasm.

"Jack, of course," she said quickly. The conflict in her mind between the telling the truth and asking him to extinguish the flames of bodily demand that persisted in her was a brawl strong enough to leave her speechless. Addressing one issue was guaranteed to adjourn another. Her hush gave him no choice but to assume the unspoken.

"Wash yourself," he said in parting.

After the door was closed she god into the tub and bathed quickly. The short time of solitude did nothing but made her realize that she had likely just tossed her dignity out of the window. Maybe he wouldn't even hear her out at this point. He said he still would love her, no matter what she did. Perhaps she had enough persuasion to convince him to forgive Bruce as easily as she had.

"We're leaving tonight," Jack informed her when she left the bathroom.

"No," she said and dressed in night clothes quickly. "We don't have to Jack…we didn't-"

"We're leaving," he repeated as if he didn't want to hear another word from her.

"Please just let me explain-" she tried again.

"Did you sleep with him?" he asked even though the supposed evidence was right in front of him. The question burst forth seemingly to end the discussion.

"No," she said firmly. "I didn't."

"Okay," he said with reservation. He scrutinized her for a few seconds before deciding that she was telling the truth. "I believe you. We're leaving."

"We can't leave, Jack," she stated. "I have to fake this marriage."

"Doesn't seem like you're faking at all to me," he huffed. "Next thing I know you'll be consummating it with him. We can't stay here if you're tempted by him."

"No, Jack," she held onto his arms as he went to the closet. "I'm not tempted, he just made a mistake-"

"A mistake?" he said and she could tell that he wasn't really listening. "I forgive you. We are leaving before this happens again."

"It won't-"

"Adriana, please stop," he pulled his arms away. "I'm not hearing you right now, okay? I'm leaving. If you want to stay with me then you'll come. You don't even seem too sure of what you want-"

"Jack I want _you_, no one else," she couldn't tolerate his dismissal anymore. The truth rose to her lips but he spoke before she could begin and his voice boomed enough to make hers imperceptible.

"You're in denial, honey," he said with no grace. "If you didn't want him, then you wouldn't have allowed this to happen. Clearly you let him get close to it. Open your eyes, look at your body, and be honest with yourself. Even if you think you don't want him now, in time he'll seduce you I'm sure-"

"He won't-" the frustration of not being given a chance to speak made her feel like screaming.

"Stop!" he roared. "I'm not listening to any more of your asking to stay. Why is this so hard for you to comprehend? Are you not grasping the fact that you let him put his hands all over you and clearly you had your legs open for him at some point. I'm not going to sit around here with my fingers crossed hoping that you-"

"But I didn't-" she said, powerless to speak more than a few words.

"Leaving here isn't the end of the world, Adriana," his voice started loud but grew gradually more quiet and sharper. "Please realize that I don't want to see you disgrace yourself or my child any further."

The words felt like a scorching gunshot in the gut combined with a piercing blade through the heart. She started to sob, unable to remember that she wanted to redeem herself by telling him the truth. His words hurt enough to expunge her desire to explain what really happened. Her heart was perforated; punctured excruciatingly by the unwarranted humiliation. She had done nothing to shame her baby that was on the way.

"I didn't…" she cried. "Disgrace…"

"Don't cry," he said with little patience. "Please don't do that." He continued to apologize, remembering that she was how sensitive she was now that she was expecting.

"But I didn't disgrace my child," she kept crying, feeling her face becoming soaked in the product of her overly emotional condition.

"Okay, okay," he took her into a tight hug, allowing her to weep into his shirt. "I'm sorry I used those words. Baby, I just don't want to risk us. I don't want you to let him-"

"I didn't" she deplored into his chest. _I didn't allow this! I didn't want him to…I didn't let this happen, he's too strong. I'm no disgrace—_she heard herself mumbling, impulsively in her first language, against his core.

The flow of tears ran freely down her cheeks as he moved to her face at arm's length. He wondered with great alarm if he had heard her mumbling in Spanish correctly.

"What do you mean?" he asked carefully and watched her confounded as she wiped her face quickly, struggling for a second to remember what she had said to make him look so unnerved.

"He just kissed me, Jack," she explained in quick response before the color could completely drain from his face. "His hands were on me but that's it, okay. I wasn't tempted, I tried to stop him but Sidi told me I had to wait for him to stop-"

"Sidi?" Jack was even more bewildered.

"She warned me before it happened," she explained. "It was just…a mistake Jack, he apologized."

"Tell me exactly what happened," his voice changed. His undertones told her that he was preparing for defense. She barely had time to explain before his patience ran out. "I'll ask him then," Jack declared and started for the door.

She followed behind him quietly and quickly, knowing that there was nothing she could do or say at this point. As Jack made his way through the halls he could hear Adriana's soft footsteps behind him as she hurried to keep up. He felt her touch his shoulder a few times in fruitless effort to stop or slow him down.

Alfred was pouring himself a drink as Jack and Adriana entered the den. Bruce was standing by the fireplace looking down at the blaze. He asked Alfred to give them some privacy once he saw them in the doorway. Alfred left apparently uninterested in whatever was going on and Jack escorted Adriana to the hall as well. The door was shut and locked before she could proclaim any protest. Alfred sipped his drink and strolled down the hall in oblivion. Adriana knelt in front of the door and peered through the large antique keyhole. The old-fashioned orifice put both Jack and Bruce in her vision but she put her ear against the opening to hear what was being said.

Jack demanded explanation for the bruising on Adriana's body and after some seconds of quiet Adriana put her eye to the hole again. Bruce looked defeated already, unaware of the fact that the bruises existed since she hadn't told him. She listened again as Bruce began to speak. An extremely detailed account of exactly what happened was given forth. She cringed for him as he explained in entirety. He described kissing her, his body's unwillingness to stop, his clutching and grasping at every part of her body. The tale was entirely unabridged as he accounted for everything, not wanting to leave out anything that would explain whatever marks that he left behind. The description left nothing to the imagination. Somehow he explained the immodest and candid tale gracefully but not without shame. She winced even more as he went on to tell that he had groped her most intimate areas, and she almost wanted Bruce to compromise and blame part of it on her to save himself some wrath. Finally, he described stopping, falling to his knees and expressing his regret and guilt.

Her eye went back to the opening as the silence returned. Jack's appearance after such a revelation surprised her. He actually didn't look entirely intolerant. The sense of understanding or tolerance that she saw was gone as quickly as it had appeared. He sighed loud enough for her to hear and began to shake his head. The deed wouldn't go unpunished, Adriana realized, as Jack approached the stand containing the fireplace tools. The wrought iron poker came into view and Adriana shut her eyes.

A vague memory of Bruce's appeared in her mind entirely through her own will. Before Jack had been arrested and sent to asylum, there was a brief battle. The Joker had released dogs that ran to attack Bruce and before he could get on his feet again, a pole or pipe…he couldn't see which was swinging and beating him with a debauched and mechanical type of craze.

The thought of the same thing happening now made her heave dryly. There was no way she would be able to watch Bruce be bludgeoned. Bruce didn't look as if he would retaliate if that was coming. Jack swung the stick in his hand contemplatively as he circled the room. How Bruce didn't look the least beat prepared to take action to defend himself was incomprehensible to Adriana. Jack leaned his head to the side quickly, releasing tension before he would begin to make his blows. In a split second, Bruce was falling to the floor, tumbling toward the open fire after the swing that happened so quickly that Adriana hadn't even seen Jack's arm move. Then, just as quickly, Jack grabbed his arm and pulled to prevent him from dropping into the flames. The tension in her body made her womb cramp in nervous anxiety and she realized that she could not watch any more. As soon as she decided to look away she saw Jack throw the iron poker across the room and turn to face the door. His figure became larger quickly as he approached the exit. Adriana stood up as the door unlocked.

"He'll live," Jack said in response to the look of worry on her face. He kissed her temple and continued down the hall.

**Part 3:**

"Is he alright?" Jack came out of the shower to find Adriana sitting on the bed, her body clearly full of tension and uneasiness.

"The doctor says his leg will be fine if he takes it easy," she said quietly, knowing that he likely wouldn't be taking it easy.

Both Alfred and Dr. Nathan wanted to know what had happened but Adriana and Bruce were tight-lipped about the ordeal. Alfred knew that it was Jack who had attacked Bruce but didn't understand why Bruce didn't seem angry. Nursing the wound didn't seem to disturb him at allow.

"Aright," Jack said. "Are you angry with me?"

"No," she answered. She didn't feel any anger. Instead, she felt relief that he had only hit Bruce once, and in the leg.

"You sure, my queen?" he knelt in front of her and kissed her hand.

"I'm sure," she said.

"I went easy on him, you know," Jack still didn't seem convinced that she was tolerant of what he had done.

"I know, Jack. I know," she said. "I love you."

"So…" he stood partially and kissed her. "Earlier…"

"Earlier," she hummed and smiled and wondered if she should be ashamed of how quickly a kiss could wipe out all of her tension.

"Yeah, maybe we can finish that," he laughed a bit and moved her into the center of the bed. "I want to tell you something."

"Okay," she replied, only partially listening as his lips trailed her nape unhurriedly.

"About your son," Jack went on.

"Mhm," she heard him talking, her comprehension of the words lagging. "I missed you so much…" A day apart was a situation she didn't want to go through again anytime soon. After realizing that she wouldn't pay attention until they were done he continued on in silence. The black night sky had turned to a dark silvery gray as the night and their lovemaking ended.

"Do you still want to leave?" Adriana asked, bliss and sleepiness governing her voice.

"We'll leave after the divorce," Jack said lethargically. "Your son wants to stay here a while though after we are gone."

"Huh?" her voice rose several octaves.

"He wants to stay with Bruce for a while, maybe a month," Jack spoke sleepily against the back of her shoulder.

"How do you know?" she gasped, wanting to roll over to face him but her body was limp and comfortable where it was.

"He told me," Jack answered, and she felt him smile against her skin. "He's talking now. I wanted to tell you earlier…"

"Already…" she said with a bit of sadness. Maybe everything would happen too quickly, everything would occur before she was ready for it happen.

"Yes," Jack said. "I think it would be good for him to stay. He can learn a lot from Bruce."

"You think so?"

"I know so. Adrian thinks it will help him build character but I think he'll learn much more."

"Wow…" Adriana was lost for words. Hearing Jack talk about a man he had just beaten with an iron poker in such a positive way combined with hearing about her eleven month old discussing the building his character was too much.

"Would you let him stay though?"

"Well…" she thought for a moment. "Yes."

"He'll be happy to hear it."

"He doesn't speak to me…" Adriana said with some sadness.

"He doesn't think that you're ready yet," Jack said and Adriana knew that he was right.


End file.
